Providing hope for otherwise-abled

Text and pix Shabna Cader
Education should not be limited; but made readily available to everyone even, if they are ‘different’ or ‘otherwise able.’ Mentally challenged youngsters should have an equal opportunity to enhance their other abilities, even if it means receiving extra or special education. That is what the Colombo Centre for Special Education is all about.

The Centre’s Executive Director Charika Muttiah gave a brief-in about this special institute and its inauguration.
The Centre started off as a dream conceived by Reverend Celestine and Nora Fernando and was finally inaugurated in 1975 with just two students in a room made available by the Salvation Army at the Rajagiriya Boys’ Home.

Since then, the Centre has moved premises twice, in 1978 to a more spacious area in Colpetty and then finally to their current premises belonging to the Schneider Trust, by the Bishop of Colombo in Havelock Town, Colombo. The Centre is now located in a quiet and peaceful residential area most suitable for the students who are ‘differently able.’

Their vision is, “To bring sunshine into the lives of the intellectually impaired,” and their mission, “To provide a haven for those who are otherwise able, to prepare them with skills that engender self-reliance and independence.”

“We have in total close to 30 students at our Centre and I wouldn’t say that they are ‘disabled’ but ‘differently able.’ Mentally challenged is such a strong word and I don’t think it applies to our students here. We cater to the total needs of those who are challenged with Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Autism and mild to severe learning disabilities. No two students are alike and we here at the Centre work with each of the students according to their capabilities,” Muttiah said.

The goal of the Centre is to make each student more self-reliant and less dependant on their families. Muttiah and the Centre’s art and music therapy teacher Anusha de Silva explained that the students receive individual attention in livings skills, speech therapy, occupational therapy, art and creative handicrafts and even computer aided development.

The students are also given a chance to let themselves ‘go’ and dance and sing, and even play a couple of games like cricket in the spacious garden that the Centre boasts about. Anusha explained that the students especially loved being in the art room, as well as the concepts of art therapy that they use.

They come from various backgrounds and different religions. All religious festivals are held in high honour and even national holidays are celebrated at the Centre, including Independence Day, Sinhala and Tamil New Year and the Christmas. Annual trips are also conducted so the students do not get tired or bored of staying within the walls of the Centre. Extra activities like an Annual Sports Day are also conducted as well as Carol Service in December.

“We try to take away their emotional stress, depression and problems with our programmes. There is a method of asking a student to close his eyes, think of their inner or personal problems, and then draw whatever comes to mind. Most of the time, when they are in bad or low moods, they tend to use the colour black to depict darkness and anger. Some of the students cannot converse or they find it difficult to do so and their art becomes a scribble,” she said.
Most of the students have many hidden talents and what the staff and members of the Centre are trying to do is project these talents through an art exhibition that is to be held on July 16.

Whenever possible, the staff is given specialised training programmes in order to understand their students better and help them in a better way. Muttiah mentioned that they once received aid and support from three lecturers who arrived from Israel, an event organised by Sahanaya and sponsored by the Centre itself. Such programmes and lecturers not only enhance the capabilities of the staff members but also give them a little extra push to give their best attention and care for the students.

‘Centre Tidings’ is a bi-annual handout that the Centre publishes about their conduct and happenings. There is also a section in the handout called ‘students’ corner’ in which students write short passages about a certain event that was conducted at the Centre.

“We heavily depend on fundraisers such as the upcoming art exhibition and voluntary donations. Many of the students’ parents are unable to afford the fees and the Centre has to find benefactors to support them. Financial support and even prayers are welcome at any time,” Muttiah said.
Very high quality Christmas cards, handmade by the student are sold every year in December and are targeted at the cooperate world to find further revenue to fund the Centre.

A Respite Care Facility was inaugurated in May 2002 with the prime objective of providing accommodation for the students to stay overnight at the Centre whenever the needs arose. Full board and lodging are provided for four students at a time and the facility is supervised by a full-time matron who is assisted by a cook and a caretaker. Four furnished cubicles give both the privacy and comfort needed, along with a common area to watch television and have the access to a computer. A separate dining area for meals is made available during their stay.
“Our aim is to open permanent residential facilities for our students as most of them have lost their parents and are under the care of a guardian,” Muttiah pointed out.

Walking around the Centre, from one room to another, one noticed that all students were male and that there were no female students at the Centre. “We do not have the suitable manpower and financial support to expand and spread our wings to increase the number of students,” Muttiah explained.

The staff consists of five fulltime members and during the rest of the time the Centre depends on volunteers who visit daily.
The Colombo Centre for Special Education will be holding the art exhibition, ‘Expressions 2008’ at the Lionel Wendt Theatre from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on July 16. The artwork – paintings, crafts, weavings, pottery, carpentry and carvings, on display will all be the work of the students of the Centre.
The chief guest will be Leela Peries, who is a well-known bronze sculptress. The proceedings from the sales of the artwork will go to improving the Centre.

Support the Centre
Support this worthy cause or visit the Centre any day of the week between 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. when the Centre is in session. For any donations please contact Muttiah on 2591641 or 4510832. Your contributions and support are greatly appreciated.

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Involving children to mitigate disasters in schools

Over 20,000 children in 150 schools in tsunami affected districts have demonstrated that they are capable of preventing disasters in their schools. They have been trained by Save the Children on disaster preparedness and mitigation, which has empowered them to identify hazards in their schools such as possible landslides, unsafe power cables and unprotected slopes and take steps to minimise damage.

Save the Children has pioneered Child-led Disaster Risk Reduction in schools and communities in order to involve Sri Lankan children in hazard mapping and taking preventive action such as placing warning signs, fencing off dangerous areas and raising awareness on natural and man-made disasters and road safety to make their schools and communities safe. These children also serve in the disaster management committees in their schools and help to make other schools in their areas much safer for children. Children have taken the responsibility and have demonstrated that they can mitigate disasters and have more awareness and concern for the environment.

“When forests are destroyed, it directly leads to global warming, which poses a huge threat to human life. This training we received helped us to understand our role in preventing disasters and educating our parents too. We live close to the Sinharaja Forest and now we take extra effort to protect our environment and need support and encouragement from adults,” said H.A. Ravindra (14 years) who is a member of the Disaster Management Committee of Mederipitiya Kanishta Vidyalaya.

During the natural disasters which the world faced recently, a large number of children were among the victims. Therefore, it is timely that children receive the knowledge and skill to protect themselves. It is estimated that every US$ 1 spent on preparing for a disaster can prevent a loss worth of US$ 7. If all the countries that give money to humanitarian assistance invested an additional 10% of the approximately US$ 10 billion they spend on responding to disasters on preparation, they could prevent US$ 7 billion of losses which is enough to respond to five tsunamis.

Save the Children works in close collaboration with District Disaster Management Committees, Zonal Departments of Education and Districts Secretaries in Matara, Trincomalee, Ampara, Jaffna and Batticaloa Districts. Child-led Disaster Risk Reduction is already included in the Road Map of the Ministry of Disaster Management. Save the Children calls for greater support from the government, education and school authorities and all citizens to recognise and respect children’s contribution in disaster mitigation and to work in collaboration with children towards a safer Sri Lanka.

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‘Different’ lessons

By Ravi Nagahawatte
Parents, whose children haven’t found entrance to schools as yet, have been left with room to think that tuition classes might provide the solution to their problem.

Tuition tops the list in the requirements of a student. After all, parents know that it’s the tuition master who can make a student who has potential to obtain a credit, finish with a distinction.

Parents see it compulsory that their children have this facility from a very tender age. This requirement is felt in a profound manner when students start preparing for the Grade Five Scholarship Examinations.
However, despite this emphasis on the importance of tuition, those who provide this service are of the opinion that tuition classes aren’t a substitute for school education.

Sumedha Udawattage, a renowned Advanced Level Mathematics tuition master, told The Nation that a tuition class didn’t provide the atmosphere like in schools to teach boys and girls discipline, morality and etiquette. “If a student isn’t taught discipline in school he or she will have to learn it in the Police station. These things can’t be taught at a tuition class. Going to school is a must,” opined Udawattage who had his education at Royal College prior to pursuing higher studies at university.

The number of schools in the island has increased rapidly since education in Sri Lanka was made free in 1938 under the universal franchise granted in 1931.

At present there is a struggle to enjoy the benefits of state sponsored education. But the sad part is that there is a shortage of both teachers and schools. As a result, tuition classes have mushroomed. There is a great demand for membership at tuition classes, especially when the tutor holds fame for brilliance.

As much as parents are particular about the quality of the school their children attend, they take a personal interest in supervising the tuition sessions of their children.

Another important query raised is whether the presence of tuition classes has undermined the role of school masters?
“A tuition master has to have a little more convincing power than a school teacher. Otherwise a tuition master can’t survive. The ability in a peacock to spread its beautiful wings is inborn. The peacock doesn’t harm others by such an action. I can say the same about the ability of tuition masters,” Udawattage said.

Popular tuition classes have the facility to house over a thousand students. Parents have time and again queried whether a teacher can guarantee individual success in classes where there is a sea of heads. Tuition masters, given the fact that they mint money, can fall into the trap of embracing quantity over quality.

“I wouldn’t subscribe to that theory where tuition classes are concerned. The benefits society gains from a tuition class are akin to the benefits people get from the sun that shines. When the sun shines it doesn’t bother how many people are there to enjoy the warmth of its rays. Like the function of the sun, the process of teaching also involves universal energy. Hence I try to teach as many as possible,” explained Udawattage who has been teaching for the past 32 years.

Udawattage began offering private tuition back in 1977. Private tuition was relatively new then but it gave all signs that there was potential to make more money than teaching at a school. “I was a good orator in school and I still enjoy convincing people about a subject that I know. Private tuition gives me that opportunity and I derive immense self-satisfaction from what I do. However, I really didn’t think of making a career out of teaching when I started off as a tuition master,” said Udawattage.

The present system of education is so focused on the subject matter that every one seems to have conveniently overlooked the importance of teaching students lessons outside the syllabus. “Abraham Lincoln wrote to his son’s teacher and said that he should teach not only lessons, but also the beauty of flowers, trees and nature. This letter goes on to highlight that classroom education should not be confined to lessons.

“However, in the tuition class, there is hardly any time to teach anything else, because there is so much to teach. I do take a few minutes off the lesson to reflect on other things, just to give the students’ minds a break and to hint at the opportunities available outside books,” he said.

Udawattage highlighted the importance of associating a child’s first lesson with Lord Ganesh. “Teachers of yesteryear were very keen on having a child’s first lesson in education in front of a picture of Lord Ganesh.
“Why Lord Ganesh? See, the Lord’s features are similar to an elephant: The big ears tell you to listen carefully. The trunk works on instinct and helps the elephant find food and water. When a mathematics student attempts a sum, it’s his instinct which tells him what approach he should take to solve the puzzle. The applying of theories comes later. The small eyes personify concentration. One’s eyes become small when concentrating. If a teacher sees these characteristics in a student, there is potential to make a great person,” he explained.

The progress in the tuition classes industry can be assessed by the presence of the countless number of private classes in every nook and corner of the country. Udawattage has a better way of judging their development. “It’s due to the role of tuition masters that students perform better than in the past at the A/L Examination. In the past, students entered campus with results such as two credits and two ordinary passes or one credit and three ordinary passes. At present a good number gets three A’s and enter campus. Tuition masters can take credit for this significant change which also reflects on the progress of the tuition profession,” he said.

This is a society where everybody wants to be associated with winners and those who are successful. What is his advice to students who fail in their studies at school? “The efforts that one makes at the Advanced Level classes are very important even though you fail. Your failing the examination tells you that you haven’t realised what you are good at. The way you struggled studying for A/Ls can be used in life’s future endeavours,” he affirmed.

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