Educational Services
Special Education
St. Judes School for Mentally Challenged is a residential special school for the mentally challenged for the welfare of children with Mental Retardation, Cerebral Palsy, Autism, and Multiple Disabilities. It is recognized by the Government of Tamilnadu (R.C. No.5595/SS.III/2004)under the state commissioner for the handicapped. 124 children are getting benefited from these programmes. Parents are encouraged to participate in the educational and therapeutic programmes of the children.
Ecomwel Orthopaedic Centre is implementing SAMARTH – Centre Based Services supported by National Trust, New Delhi, and 30 students are benefited under this scheme.
St. Judes school for the mentally challenged was awarded as the best residential care center by National Trust for its outstanding and benevolent services for the year 2003.
Hostel for the Disabled
Annai Illam is a residential hostel attached to our school offering an opportunity to the children with disabilities to continue their education. Children with disabilities living in the villages are finding it very difficult to attend school due to their mobility problems. Hence, our residential hostel helps them to continue their studies.
Regular medical attention, physiotherapy, private tuition, counseling and guidance services, daily prayer, and good nutritious food, etc. are being provided. Children with disabilities studying in other schools are also admitted to our hostel to continue their education.
Inclusive Education for the Disabled
Inclusive Education for the Disabled is one of the components of the Government of India’s Sarva Siksha Abiyan (Education for All) aiming to provide useful and relevant elementary education for all children including special children in the age group of 6 to 14 by the year 2012.
Inclusive Education has been a part of the school system since the passing of the persons with disabilities Act in 1995 and the 86th constitutional Amendment. Inclusion professes to do just what it says –include all children, regardless of skill level or needs in age-appropriate classrooms. Classrooms and schools across the country have brought children with disabilities into the regular classroom as part of their learning experience.
Inclusive Education for the Disabled focuses on,
- Identifying the children with special needs
- Mainstreaming them in the regular schools and
- Providing them with aids and appliances to make the learning process complete.
This responsibility is given to the NGOs working in the field of disability and Ecomwel Orthopaedic Centre has taken up the Inclusive Education for the Disabled in 16 blocks of Salem District. Five special educators have been appointed in each block for this purpose. They are also involved in providing training to Village Education Committee members, Block Resource Teachers, general teachers and conducting awareness programmes on inclusive education. Children with severe disabilities will be given home-based training.
Resource rooms catering to the children of all types of disabilities have been set up in all 16 blocks. Talking library for the visually impaired, speech trainer for the hearing impaired, physiotherapy equipment for physically and mentally challenged, and teaching-learning materials for mentally challenged are installed in the resource rooms for use by the differently-abled children.
Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidhyalaya (KGBV)
Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidhyalaya (KGBV) was launched by the government of India in August 2004 for setting up residential schools at the upper primary level for girls belonging predominantly to the SC, ST, OBC, and minorities in areas identified as Educationally Backwards Blocks (EBBs) where, as per census rate of 2001, the rural female literacy is below the national average and gender gap is more than the national average.
The girl children who have been never enrolled in schools and have dropped out are identified and imparted education intensively for 3 years and made to write their 8th standard common examinations. After passing 8th std. they are admitted in the Govt. run schools for pursuing their further education.
The responsibility of running these schools are given to NGOs who are working in the field of education and girls’ empowerment. Ecomwel Orthopaedic Centre is being given the charge of running the KGBV schools in Kadayampatti, Nangavalli, and Veerapandi blocks of Salem District. Tamilnadu.
At present, 250 girl children, 100 in two schools and 50 in a school are benefiting and they are given free education, food, uniform, educational material, computer and music training. The students are also trained in different vocational trades.
Early Intervention Center for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
An Early Intervention Center for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in the age group of 0 to 6 years has been implemented by us in collaboration with the Commissionerate for the welfare of the differently-abled, Govt. of Tamilnadu. The center runs on our premises, 30 children benefit from this programme and 4 staff members work exclusively for this programme.
Inauguration of Extension Unit
We have inaugurated an extension unit for the Early Intervention Centre for children with Autism at Salem. This unit aims to cater to the needs of children with autism, age group 0 to 6 years living in and around Salem town. Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Special Education and Guidance, and other therapeutic programmes are offered to these children. The Chief Guest of the occasion Thiru. Y.D. Srinath., District Differently Abled Welfare Officer, Salem, and staff from District Differently Abled Welfare office. Various NGO Heads working for differently-abled in the Salem district were the special guests.