Sister Flavian with students of Bal Vihar in Jamshedpur on Sunday. Picture by Bhola Prasad Antara Bose

Jamshedpur, Feb. 6: They are different, they are special and now that they will be able to match steps with the world and have a job after passing out of school.

Students of Bal Vihar, a school for the hearing impaired in Sonari, are looking forward to a better and secured future, thanks to well-known academic and former principal of Carmel Junior College Sister Flavian, who had introduced vocational courses in the school in June last year.

This apart, the school has also hired coaches for chess, cricket, football and athletics to enable its students to purse their passions.

“A Class X pass certificate is not enough these days as a lot of challenges lie ahead for differently abled students as they go out in the world. I decided to provide vocational training for students after some parents highlighted the employment problems faced by students after they left school,” said Sister Flavian. She added that the school had started courses in tailoring for students of Class V onwards and beautician courses for girls.

“Initially the boys were reluctant in learning tailoring as they considered it a women’s job. However, once we took them around to tailoring shops in the town, they have had a change of opinion. Many of them have already finished the initial stages of tailoring,” said Sister Flavian.

She added that her only aim now was to make her students independent and turn them into good human beings.

Incidentally, a group of 11 students from the school had won 27 medals at the National Athletics Meet for the Deaf and Dumb organised at Madurai, Tamil Nadu between January 18 to January 22. Jharkhand was declared overall runners up at the meet.

The students of the school are now preparing for a chess tourney that is scheduled to take place later this year.

“ I was apprehensive about the kind of work being taught here. However, I now believe that the courses will help sustain my family in the future. Though, I am still in the nascent stage, my teachers are helping me a lot,” said Bishwajeet, a Class VIII student through gestures.

Bal Vihar has 130 students studying in it

The school is also proud that students have performed well in sports. After the National Athletics Meet that was held in January, students are also gearing up to participate in a chess tournament scheduled later this year. Last year too students had participated and had won accolades for Jharkhand.

Students too are happy learning and undergoing vocational training for their future. Many of them have got hearing aids with the help of various social organisations. “Initially I did not like it but now I think this work can give me earning for my family. I am still at the nascent stage and my teachers are teaching me nicely. I like learning stitching now,” communicates Bishwajeet, a class VIII student with sign language.

Recently, a group of 11 students has won 27 medals at the National Athletics Meet for the Deaf and Dumb organised at Madurai, Tamil Nadu between January 18 to January 22. Jharkhand was declared overall runners up at the meet.

The school has started teaching tailoring to students from class V and beautician courses especially for girls since August. The students have learnt a lot as far as stitching is concerned. The school has taken the steps as employment is the biggest concern for these students. There are 130 students in the school, most of them who come from other states like Bohar and remote areas.

The school is also proud that students have performed well in sports. After the National Athletics Meet that was held in January, students are also gearing up to participate in a chess tournament scheduled later this year. Last year too students had participated and had won accolades for Jharkhand.

Students too are happy learning and undergoing vocational training for their future. Many of them have got hearing aids with the help of various social organisations. “Initially I did not like it but now I think this work can give me earning for my family. I am still at the nascent stage and my teachers are teaching me nicely. I like learning stitching now,” communicates Bishwajeet, a class VIII student with sign language.