[SIZE=4][COLOR=red]S.P.J. Sadhana School, Mumbai[/COLOR] [/SIZE]
[I]Within a milieu in which even marginally challenged children are written off as social liabilities, this pioneer school for the developmentally handicapped has an excellent record of mainstreaming its students[/I]
img:39:Sr. Gaitonde (second right): creative potential awareness. Rear centre: Khanna Since its inception in 1973, S.P.J.Sadhana School has won widespread encomiums for its path-breaking missionary work in educating the mentally challenged and helping them not only to adjust to the world, but to become useful, self sufficient, contributing members of society. Operating out of 14 rooms within the grounds of the Sophia College in south Mumbai, (a vibrant educational community, run under the management of the Society for the Higher Education of Women in India and the religious order of the Sacred Heart), the school delivers quality education to 114 challenged students, between the ages of four-21 years.
Development of mentally challenged youth apart, the institute’s management regards the creation of an awareness within the general public of the creative potential of the mentally handicapped a prime responsibility. Comments Sr. Eileen Gaitonde an alumna of Mumbai and Manchester universities who is the school’s principal: “Our objective is to develop the potential of each student holistically, the focus being upon their rehabilitation through education into mainstream society. Our mission is to spread awareness of the giftedness of these children and of the nature of mental retardation. Even today, we find educated people segregating their children from our students, worried that their condition is infectious!â€
Such widespread ignorance and neglect of the developmentally handicapped is particularly poignant given their large population. According to Dr. Radhike Khanna, vice principal of SPJSS, the aggregate number of mentally challenged people within national borders is 40 million. “They are popularly certified as mad and are hidden away from the world by their families who often regard them as a social liability if not a disgrace,†she says. A microscopic minority is brought to SPJSS where their condition is diagnosed and assessed by a team comprising a social worker, psychologist, occupational and speech therapist before they are enrolled in a suitable class.
img:40:Cheerful catering class at SPJSS When I first began work I literally had to go from house to house and convince families to send their special children to this institution. Today we have a long waiting list for admission, because of space and resource constraints,†says Khanna a sociology postgrad of Bombay University who was awarded a doctorate in special education by Knightsbridge University, UK. Though Khanna is too modest to say so, the demand for admissions is driven by the good reputation the school has acquired for delivering quality, customised education by its well-qualified 36-strong faculty. All the students this writer met attempted to communicate while being involved in some sort of creative activity.
Inevitably given the special profile of its wards, the school’s faculty has designed a unique curriculum. Through a multi-dimensional approach the curriculum attempts to discover and flower the maximum potential of each student. Special pedagogies have been developed and integrated into a five-year vocational course, which shapes the school’s special children for absorption into mainstream society. “Our approach is very functional. We check out who fits where and place them accordingly,†says Khanna.
The school is divided into pre-nursery, nursery, transition and junior classes, before students move into the pre-vocational stage. “At this juncture with the help of the student, parents, a psychologist and psychiatrist, we ascertain their goals and place them accordingly in an appropriate vocational programme,†explains Sr. Gaitonde.
Among the key achievements of the institute are the specialised courses it offers: creative arts and crafts, fast food catering, office skills, photocopying, computer data entry, operating an automated teller machine etc. Other options are the general vocational course, (sorting, sticking, mailing); home skills course (cleaning, washing, ironing), and an intensive therapy course which helps students relax and admit inappropriate behaviour to change or modify it.
While training students for the vocation they opt for, the school has designed its courses bearing in mind employment criteria such as appropriate behaviour in the workplace, communication and self-help skills. “The aim is to send students out into the real world and join the mainstream as totally self-reliant and responsible individuals capable of managing responsible jobs,†says Gaitonde.
Within a milieu in which even marginally challenged individuals are written off as social liabilities, this requires educating not only students of the school but public opinion as well. But as SPJSS’ 93 percent success rate in placing its alumni indicates, this is a task it has certainly got the hang of. “We took a conscious call to move out of the charity model 12 years ago,†says Khanna. “Earlier we taught painting and clay modelling — our students produced things which people bought for charity’s sake. But we have progressed since then. Today our objective is to develop adults who become income tax payers, not mere consumers. Our alumni are self respecting individuals who receive respect from others as well.â€
An instructive and inspiring story of institution development indeed.
[B]Gaver Chatterjee (Mumbai)[/B]
[B]Admission & programmes[/B]
Admission into SPJSS is open throughout the year. Before admission into a suitable class, each applicant is assessed by a team comprising a social worker, psychologist, occupational and speech therapist. On their recommendation, the child is admitted into an appropriate vocational programme. The school is divided into pre-nursery, nursery, transition, junior, pre-vocational and vocational sections.
Vocational courses are offered in the following areas: creative arts and craft, fast food catering, office skills, general vocational course, home skills, and intensive therapy.
Fees. The fees which are highly subsidised are paid by about two thirds of the school’s students. They range between Rs.650-900 per month.
For details and admission, contact S.P.J. Sadhana School, Dr. Rosendo Ribeiro Children’s Complex, Sophia Campus, Bhulabhai Desai Road, Mumbai 400 026. Tel: 2364 7913; Fax: 2367 1945; E-mail: ssadhana@vsnl.com.
[B]Gaver Chatterjee (Mumbai)[/B]
[SIZE=4][COLOR=red]Canterbury Christ Church University College, UK[/COLOR] [/SIZE]
[I]Set in the heart of the historic city of Canterbury, this 40-year-old college offers a wide range of undergrad, postgrad and professional programmes to over 12,000 students[/I]
img:41:r:Canterbury vista: excellent quality ratings Founded by the Church of England in 1962, Canterbury Christ Church University College, UK offers a wide range of undergraduate, postgrad, diploma and professional programmes. Set in the heart of the historic city of Canterbury, in the county of Kent, the college has acquired a good reputation for the quality of its study programmes in teacher training, nursing, policing and social care in particular. It is also a significant provider of vocational courses in a gamut of academic and professional areas.
The university college’s teaching and research work is grouped within four major faculties: arts and humanities; business and sciences; education, and health. Recently several national external assessment agencies awarded excellent quality ratings to its study programmes, with no fewer than 15 subject areas being identified as excellent.
Moreover its department of media has established an enviable reputation for the teaching and practical experience provided in its television, film and radio study programmes, while the department of music attracts talented students from across Britain and overseas. Currently Canterbury Christ Church has over 12,000 students, including many mature and part-time students on its muster roll. Apart from its historic main campus, Canterbury Christ Church has two other campuses in Thanet and Tunbridge Wells.
“We offer a wide range of courses in an environment which many of those who have studied here say is friendly and welcoming. The campus offers high quality teaching and residential accommodation and we make provision for a whole range of supportive services. We are particularly proud of our record of excellent grades in many external assessments for the quality of work we do and of the record of our graduates in obtaining jobs soon after completing their courses,†says Prof. Michael Wright, principal of the university college.
[B]Canterbury. [/B] Historic Canterbury is one of the best-known cities in Britain and is visited by over 2.5 million tourists each year. It is close to the port of Dover and the Eurostar rail link to the Continent at Ashford International. London is also within easy reach by rail and coach.Â
A beehive of cultural programmes and activity, Canterbury is currently bidding to be designated the European capital of culture in 2008. Canterbury Cathedral is famous throughout the world and the city is dotted with medieval walls and historic buildings. Uniquely, the thoroughly modern city centre is only a five minute walk from the college campus.
[B]Campus facilities. [/B] The university college is spread across three campuses: Canterbury, Thanet and Tunbridge Wells. The main Canterbury campus was built within an old orchard ground of St. Augustine’s Abbey and is still largely surrounded by the medieval wall, with buildings of the abbey abutting. In sharp contrast, the campus comprises high quality lecture rooms, state-of-the-art laboratories and well-maintained gardens. The Thanet campus, inaugurated in 2000 in east Kent, offers diploma and degree programmes in nursing, policing, popular music technology, digital media, and business studies, while the Salomons campus in neighbouring Tunbridge Wells specialises in education and training in the health and social care sectors.
Though Thanet and Salomons have their own learning centres, Canterbury Christ’s main library situated in the heart of the campus at Canterbury offers over 250,000 volumes, periodicals, CDs, videos and DVDs. Sports facilities include the St. George’s Fitness Centre, netball, football and hockey fields. Moreover students have access to a public swimming pool and leisure centre not far from the campus.
The Students Union manages a large number of successful clubs and societies, ranging from rock climbing and karate to drama and sci-fi. The union’s TV production facility (CTV) covers sport fixtures and the major college balls. The college radio station broadcasts across campus and to off-campus halls of residence. It was the first student radio station to broadcast on the web (www.su.cant.ac.uk).
[B]Accommodation. [/B] All international students are guaranteed residential accommodation in the first year of their programme. On-campus housing facilities include halls of residence which accommodate 149 students in single rooms. The Davidson, Lang and Temple halls provide single rooms each with en suite facilities. Main meals are served in the college food court as there are no self-catering facilities. The other two halls, Fynden and Thorne, have been refurbished to provide single rooms with a washbasin. Each floor has a common kitchen and bathroom/shower room.
img:42:r:Canterbury Christ Church orchestra: media and music reputation The off-campus halls are situated within a 15-minute walk of the college. They include Lanfrac which is a modern purpose-built hall divided into flats and houses for three to seven students. It accommodates 212 students with en suite facilities. Pin Hill is also a purpose building divided into flats with fully equipped kitchens and bathroom/shower. Other off-campus halls include Vernon Place (26 single rooms with self catering facilities) and the Mount (housing 20 students). The college also manages four houses.
[B]Admission. [/B] Canterbury Christ receives over 10,000 applications annually for 2,000 student vacancies. All undergraduate applications have to be made through the Universities Colleges and Admissions Service (UCAS). A UCAS form can be obtained from any of the British Council libraries in India or directly from UCAS (e-mail: app.req@ucas.ac.uk).
The minimum eligibility requirements for admission into undergrad programmes is successful completion of Plus Two and English language fluency (overseas students whose first language is not English have to submit TOEFL or IELTS scores). However some degree programmes require specific eligibility criteria.
For further information contact the International Office, Canterbury Christ Church University College, Canterbury, Kent CT1 1QU, United Kingdom. Tel: 01227 767700; E-mail: Admissions@cant.ac.uk; Website: www.cant.ac.uk.
[B]Degree programmes. [/B] The university college offers undergrad, postgrad and diploma programmes in the faculties of arts and humanities, business and sciences, health, and education. It is particularly well known for the high quality of its teacher training, nursing, policing and social care degree programmes. It also offers vocational programmes.
[B]Scholastic options at Canterbury Christ[/B]
The college offers undergrad, diploma, certificate and postgrad programmes in the faculties of Arts and Humanities, Business and Sciences, Health, and Education.
Programmes on Canterbury campus. American studies, biosciences, heritage conservation, business studies, computing studies, early childhood studies, English, environmental biology, film, radio and television studies, fine art, French, geography, health studies, history, hospitality services management, marketing, international business administration, media and cultural studies, medical imaging, midwifery, multimedia and digital culture, music, nursing studies, occupational therapy, primary education, psychology, environment science, social science, social work, software development, religious studies, sport and exercise science, theology and tourism management.
Programmes at Thanet. Animal care and management, applied psychology, business studies, business information management, digital media, nursing studies, policing, music and technology.
Programmes at Salomons. Centre for applied social and psychological development; Centre for leadership and management development.
Tuition fees (annual): £6,450 (Rs.4.64 lakh)
Living expenses (per year): £ 6,400 (Rs.4.60 lakh)
NB: £=Rs.82
[B]Summiya Yasmeen[/B]