Hy Vong Quy Nhon (Quy Nhon Hope) Specialized School started its first school year several weeks ago, aiming to help disabled children have opportunities to learn and integrate into the community. Initially, the school has still faced many difficulties.
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It’s harder to teach a disabled child. Photo N.Q
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New chance for disabled children
On the first day of new school year, 80-year-old Do Thi Nhon took her grandson called Hoang Si Tuan to the school. He was bewildered at first, but after entering the class, Tuan was very noisy and mischievous.
“My grandson looks like other children, but he is mentally deficient,” Nhon said. “He had joined a nursery school several years ago, but he couldn’t follow his friends.”
She hoped her grandson could learn something when joining the specialized school because many children here are in the same boat.
The school opened 10 classes in its first school year, including 4 classes for mentally deficient children and 6 for hearing-impaired ones.
“For those who are mentally deficient, we have to rely on their ability to teach,” said teacher Nguyen Thanh Huu. “Many of my students have studied the first-grade curriculum for four years.”
The primary school curriculum for hearing-impaired students is lengthened to 7 years, he added.
“It’s harder for us to teach a disabled child,” said teacher Le Thi Ngoc Lan. “However, they are now able to dance and sing in their own way. Also, they could do a simple exercise, read a sentence, and help their parents do housework.”
Much must be done
The Ministry of Education and Training hasn’t promulgated any standardized curriculum for disabled children so far. At present, Hy Vong Specialized School’s teachers have to use documents from various sources to teach their students.
After completing this year’s curriculum, hearing-impaired students will leave the school to integrate into the society; however, most of them haven’t been offered any vocational training courses. For mentally deficient students, it’s difficult to help them choose suitable vocational training courses.
Hearing-impaired students are now facing the difficulty in accommodation owing to the shortage of rooms in the dormitory. Also, the facilities haven’t met the demands of a specialized school.
The school is going to propose a plan asking the province to improve its infrastructure, said the school’s headmaster Tran Gia Tin. Better facilities will help both teachers and students focus on their teaching and learning.
Over 16-year-old students will be offered vocational training orientation to help them independently live in the society, he said.
Hearing-impaired students should be provided with hearing-aid machines, the school’s vice headmaster Huynh Kim Anh suggested. “We do hope all relevant bodies and agencies help the school in the coming time.
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