Dilkhush Special School, Mumbai
Due to the commitment of the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Society, Dilkhush, a complex of education institutions for the mentally challenged has survived for more than three decades despite numerous adversities
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| Dilkhush exterior: thirty years of dedication and commitment |
It is the second oldest school for special children in Mumbai. Located in an old style bungalow in Juhu, a western suburb of Mumbai, is the Dilkhush complex of education institutions which house a school for mentally challenged children, a teachers’ training centre, and a workshop run by and for mentally challenged adults by former students of the institution.
Despite a perennial funding crunch, government interference and difficulty in recruiting trained personnel, Dilkhush has survived for over 30 years due to the commitment and dedication of its promoters and managers — The Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Society.
Dilkhush comprises three institutions: the Dilkhush Special School for mentally and physically challenged children; the Dilkhush Teachers’ Training Centre which trains teaching aspirants to work with challenged children, and a Workshop, where mentally challenged teens who have graduated from Dilkhush learn and practice skills such as needlework, carpentry, cooking, painting cards and paper art. The best output of the workshop is marketed.
In sum Sacred Heart Society’s holistic vision for the development of mentally challenged children is beginning to pay off. Recently the J.W. Marriott Hotel hired five graduates of the institution. "This is a first-time breakthrough. We are confident it’s the beginning of a trend," says Sister Noella Pereira, principal of Dilkhush.
The Dilkhush Special School admitted its first batch of 15 students in 1971 with the specific purpose of facilitating the comprehensive development of mentally challenged students. Currently the school has a capacity of 100 students aged between five and 14 years. Children are admitted on the basis of the availability of seats at each IQ level.
The school’s curriculum comprising functional academics and co-curricular activities aims to promote the all round development of each child and the development of self-care and social and pre-vocational skills. An individualised education plan (IEP) is drawn up for each child which is calibrated periodically during the year. This plan includes the teaching of subjects such as oral language, reading, writing, maths, time and money management and general knowledge.
"These subjects are taught only if they have functional value for the child, which means that the theoretical knowledge gained should be of practical use. The curriculum also includes acquisition of pre-vocational skills, which the child will need either for use in the Dilkhush workshop and/ or in post-school workplaces," says Sr. Pereira.
To this end each class at Dilkhush is run by a qualified special educator (minimum qualification: a diploma in special education recognised by the Rehabili-tation Council of India). The school is divided into 11 classes, focussing on need-based academic, vocational and self-help skills. "These classes are not organised along the lines of a regular school for normal children. There is no pressure on students and each child is encouraged to develop varied skills at her own pace according to her IEP," says Sr. Pereira.
Dilkhush is partially funded by the government, which pays the salaries of three of its teachers. The rest of the money needed to meet the society’s annual expenditure budget is collected through donations and contributions from private individuals and other institutions.
The Dilkhush Teachers’ Training Centre was also established in 1971 to train people interested in teaching challenged or special children. Since then the centre has acquired a national reputation for the quality and relevance of its teacher training courses. A number of students trained in the centre have become eminent leaders in the field of special education, both nationally and internationally. "Currently there are 32 trainees in the centre against our capacity of 40. This is because it is very difficult to get motivated profession-als to qualify as special educators as they need to be people who are genuinely interested in working with the mentally challenged and have some experience in this field," says Sr. Pereira.
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The training centre’s two-year full-time diploma in special education — mental retardation (MR) and associated disabilities, is designed to train teachers to educate and rehabilitate children with mental handicaps, after assessment of diverse factors such as age, degree of severity, family and socio-economic background, and cultural factors. The focus of this study programme is to train teachers to teach children of school-going age, needing special education and/ or pre-vocational training.
Dilkhush’s other study programmes are short-term courses targeting professionals working with challenged children; parents and volunteers, and auxiliary staff and caretakers.
Programmes and fees
Diploma in Special Education. This is Dilkhush’s flagship course and is a two-year full-time course aimed at training teachers to rehabilitate mentally challenged persons.
Fee. Rs.25,000 for two years.
Eligibility. Plus Two
Continuing Rehabilitation Education Programmes. Dilkhush periodically organises these programmes for in-service special educators, to assist them in updating their skills and knowledge.
Fee. Nil (subsidised by state government)
Eligibility. Plus Two
Introduction to Special Education Course. This course is designed to inform and enhance the practical skills of parents and volunteers working with special children. Started in 2002 the course is open to anyone interested in deepening her knowledge of special children.
Fee. Rs.1,000 over three to five days
Eligibility: Plus Two
The Parent Support Group Leaders Course. This builds on the design of the course on Introduction to Special Education and is a follow-up to the special education programme.
Fee. Nil (subsidised by the government)
Eligibility: Plus Two
The Workshop. This is a self-financing unit within Dilkhush. It employs mentally challenged persons between the ages of 18-48 years who are graduates of the Dilkhush Special School.
The students make designer envelopes, woodcraft items, beaded necklaces, quilts, embroidered napkins, and fruits squashes and jams. Students are paid stipends ranging from Rs.300-1,600 per month.
Most of these items are sold in public sales held twice a year, in April and December.
For further information contact the principal, Dilkhush Special School and Dilkhush Teachers’ Training Centre, Juhu Road, Opposite Palmgrove Hotel, Juhu, Mumbai 400 049. Ph: 022 261 513 04; Fax: 022 261 886 88; e-mail: dilkhush@vsnl.com.
Mona Barbhaya (Mumbai)
Victoria University of Wellington
Promoted in 1897 to commemorate Queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee celebrations, this ancient university has metamorphosed into New Zealand’s most prestigious institution of higher education
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| City campus |
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ituated down under in Lord of the Rings country, the Victoria University of Wellington (VUW) is one of New Zealand’s oldest and most prestigious universities. Promoted in 1897 by an Act of Parliament to commemorate Queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee celebrations, VUW was recently awarded the Trade New Zealand export award for excellence and innovation. This ancient varsity boasts five faculties which offer over 80 bachelors, 20 specialist Masters besides several diploma and certificate study programmes. It hosts 19,000 students, with over 2,600 international students from 70 countries instructed by 1,500 faculty.
"Victoria University has been the academic heart of the region for over 100 years and it continues to produce high quality graduates that provide the next generation of scholars, inventors, entrepreneurs, business and civic leaders. Our teaching and research with staff who are world leaders in their fields, is built on a proud tradition of academic excellence over the past century and is geared to meet the challenges of the current millennium," says Prof. Stuart McCutcheon, vice-chancellor of VUW.
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ellington. Perched on the southern tip of New Zealand’s north island, Wellington (pop. 400,000) is the nation’s political, financial and cultural capital. It’s also this picturesque country’s new information technology (IT) capital, with over 1,000 new IT jobs created last year. Moreover it boasts many of this island nation’s national institutions — the National Library, the National Archives, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Parliament, government departments and the General Assembly library. And with 2,500 live cultural and entertainment performances in the city, there’s always something going on in Wellington. The city hosts 40 art and cultural festivals every year, including the biannual International Festival of the Arts — one of the top six art festivals in the world.
The Wellington region also offers numerous recreational and sporting activities such as water sports, hill and bush walking, tennis and fishing, with the ski slopes only a four hour drive away. With its mild, temperate climate with temperatures averaging 25oC in summer and 12oC in winter, it has more restaurants and cafés per capita than New York.
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ampus facilities. Victoria University’s four campuses span the compact city centre. The Kelburn campus nestles on a hillside overlooking the stunningly picturesque Wellington harbour. The city or Pipitea campus is in the heart of Wellington’s commercial sector. It comprises beautifully restored historic government buildings on Lambton Quay, which hosts the faculty of law, while the adjacent 13-storey Rutherford House, hosts the faculties of commerce and administration and the centre for continuing education. The Te Aro or architecture and design campus is situated across town in an award-winning landmark building in the city’s artistic hub. The Kaori campus is the site of the Wellington College of Education and Foundation Studies programme.
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| Kelburn campus |
All campuses are within easy walking distance of each other and close to a range of student accommodation options.
The university has a large central library, an extensive law library, and several smaller specialist libraries including bibliotheques for architecture, design and commerce. Computer facilities are available to all students. Moreover there are over 40 sports and 60 non-sporting clubs in Victoria — all affiliated to the Victoria University of Wellington Students Association. Cultural clubs include the Drama, EcoAction, Radical Society, Vic Comedy & Improv (Theatre-sports), and Science Fiction Clubs. Over 20 sports clubs regularly train or operate out of the Rec Centre. Clubs on campus cater for all, from beginners to social players right through to the pros.
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| Te Aro campus |
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dmission. The minimum eligibility criterion for admission into Victoria’s undergrad programmes is a 65 percent average in the CBSE or CISCE class XII exams or 70 percent in the higher secondary exams of the state boards. International students have to submit TOEFL test scores (min: 550) or IELTS (5.5). However some degrees (such as LLB, BIT and B Sc, computer science) may require a higher standard. For postgrad programmes, while the minimum entry requirement is a bachelor’s degree from a recognised tertiary education institution, for some courses evidence of relevant work/ research experience is necessary.
For further information on admissions write to Victoria International, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand. E-mail: victoria-international@vuw.ac.nz. Website: www.vuw.ac.nz.
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ccommodation. Housing is guaranteed to all international students enrolling in Victoria University if they apply by October 1 for the following year or by May 1 for the second trimester. There are eight halls of residence housing over 1,400 students. Some provide meals while others are self-catering. For those who want to live off campus, there is a range of private accommodation options available. They include: full board, a furnished room with cooking facilities, flat or homestay.
To find out more write to the Accomm-odation Service, Victoria University, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand or email accommodation@vuw.ac.nz.
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egree programmes. Victoria University offers 14 first (bachelors) degrees in over 80 subject areas, 20 specialist Masters degrees as well as certificate and diploma programmes. The five faculties include architecture and design; commerce and administration; humanities and social sciences; law and science. Each faculty consists of a number of schools committed to academic specialisation. These schools supervise research and teaching within their areas of specialisation.
The university also offers a condensed eight-month Foundation Studies programme to help students who don’t qualify to acquire the academic skills and English language practice needed to gain entry into its study programmes.
Scholastic options at VictoriaVictoria University has five faculties which offer bachelors, Masters and diploma programmes in a wide range of academic disciplines.
Faculty of Architecture and Design. Architecture, building science, design
Tuition fee (annual): NZ$ 16,000-21,000
Faculty of Commerce and Administration. Commerce, accounting, business administration, commercial law, communication studies, e-commerce, econometrics, economic history, economics, financial mathematics, human resource management and industrial relations, information management, international business, library and information studies, management, marketing, money & finance, public management, public policy, tourism management
NZ$15,000-32,000
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. Anthropology, art history, applied linguistics, Asian languages, Chinese, classics, creative writing, criminology design, economics, education, English as a second language, English language and literature, European studies, film, French, geography, German, Greek, history, international relations, Italian, Japanese, Latin, leisure and heritage, Maori studies, media studies, modern languages, music, New Zealand studies, nursing and midwifery, Pacific studies, philosophy, political science, psychology, religious studies, social policy, sociology, theatre, Spanish, women’s studies
N$8,500-25,000
Faculty of Law. Law
NZ$15,000-18,000
Faculty of Science. Biology, biomedical science, chemistry, cell and molecular biology, computer science, conservation biology, conservation science, development studies, ecology and biodiversity, ecology and health, electronics, environmental studies, geography, geology, geophysics, information technology, logic and computation, marine biology, meteorology, physics, statistics and operations research.
NZ$17,000-21,000
Living expenses (annual): NZ$ 16,000
NB $=Rs.28
Summiya Yasmeen