Innovative schools in Bangalore to cater to the underprivileged

Bangalore is all set to have two innovative schools, both believed to be the first of their kind in the city. One would provide formal education to disabled children, while the second aims at imparting state-of-the-art schooling to students belonging to lower income families at an affordable fee.

Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled, a city-based non-governmental organisation (NGO), is planning to build a 100% disabled-friendly school at HSR Layout, spread over an area of 48,000 sq ft.

Another NGO, Sujaya Education Foundation has come up with the concept of providing the best of educational facilities similar to that offered by private schools at an affordable rate for children from the poor section of the society. The school, to be spread over an area of three acres, is coming up in Anekal.

“Bangalore has hardly any disabled-friendly schools. Only a few schools in the city provide education to some children with various disabilities. But these schools are not fully equipped in terms of infrastructural facilities and trained teachers to deal with disabled children,” said Mahantesh GK, founder managing trustee of Samarthanam.

“It will be the one stop place that will provide the best of infrastructure, technology and other related facilities to our students. We plan a state-of-the- art facility that can operate and cater to more than 600 disabled and underprivileged students,” said Mahantesh, the national award winner for child welfare in 2009.

The school will have lifts and ramps to help the physically challenged students. For visually challenged students, information will be provided through Braille, in large prints. The school will have the provision of assistive technology like interactive keyboards, touch-screen computers and interactive whiteboards. The school is likely to start functioning from June 2011.

Experts feel that such a school was long overdue. “The RTE Act does not have any mention of how to accommodate children with disabilities in schools where normal students get education. The school will go a long way in helping the cause of education of disabled children,” said Nagasimha G Rao, a child rights activist.
Sujaya School in Anekal plans to accommodate about 2,000 students, from kindergarten to class XII.

“We are hoping to start operating from June 2011. A total of 25 % of children will be provided free education as they will be from the underprivileged section, as per the guidelines of the RTE Act. Rest of the students will have to pay a nominal fee. We have tied up with various corporate houses to fund our project,” said Priya Krishnan, head, school systems, Sujaya School.

The school will follow the Central Board of Education curriculum. It has started recruiting teachers and is providing special training to them.

“The school will also attempt to bridge the gap between education and employment. We’ll provide vocational training to students and also adults from the neighbourhood after the school hours,” said Krishnan.