Providing expertise to train impaired children

State’s first Teachers Training Centre produces teachers to train visually and hearing impaired children

Mysuru: A special school to train teachers who in-turn can train visually impaired students is doing yeoman service to the society. State’s first Government Teachers Training Centre for Hearing Impaired (primary level) is a boon for visually challenged and hearing impaired children. 

The school, located on Pulakeshi Road in Tilaknagar, has been providing training since the last 19 years and till now, it has empowered over 889 teachers to effectively teach children with disabilities and they are serving in various Government Schools for the Blind and Hearing Impaired and also serving voluntary organisations. 

They have the necessary expertise in teaching disabled children, thanks to the institute. Training is provided on behalf of Department for Empowerment of Differently-Abled and Senior Citizens and training is provided in two areas — D.Ed. Spl.Ed. (Visually Impaired) and D.Ed. Spl.Ed. (Hearing Impaired). As the name indicate, D.Ed. Spl.Ed. (Visually Impaired) trains teachers in training children with visual disabilities and D.Ed. Spl.Ed. (Hearing Impaired) trains teachers so that they can train children with hearing impairment. The duration of training is two years and those candidates who have passed their PUC can enrol themselves to the course. 

Equal opportunities for all 

The institute started functioning in the year 2000 with an aim of human resource development and to provide equal opportunities for all. The training centre is being funded and run from the Special Education Section of the State’s Education Department. The training institute and the training per se including the course material, syllabus and activities are recognised by Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI). It is the apex Government body, set up under an Act of Parliament, to regulate training programmes and courses targeted at disabled, disadvantaged and special education requirement communities. 

Well-equipped library & labs 

The institute has experienced teachers, a well-equipped library and laboratories, computer laboratories and hostel facilities in collaboration with other Government and non-Government agencies. “These teachers, after trained by our institute work under Department for Empowerment of Differently-Abled and Senior Citizens, Sarva Shikshana Abhiyan and as resource teachers at all institutions for the disabled. They are eligible for Teachers’ Eligibility Test conducted by the Education Department and all other teachers’ recruitment examinations including Central Board of Secondary Education,” said Manjula Patil, in-charge Deputy Director of Government Teachers Training Centre for Hearing Impaired. 

There are 60 candidates who are undergoing their training in both the years of D.Ed. Spl.Ed. (Visually Impaired) and D.Ed. Spl.Ed. (Hearing Impaired). There are seven teachers who are training the teachers and regular classes are being held between 10 am and 5 pm. Examinations are conducted by Rehabilitation Council of India and certificates are issued. 

Candidates interested in undergoing training for special children can contact Ph: 0821-2491600.