Children with disabilities and their guardians look for an accessible, inclusive environment with essential facilities for a better learning experience. Thanks to major renovations at Sonamgang Primary School in Phuentshogling, it now has a friendly infrastructure for children with disabilities, making every day tasks manageable.
32-year-old Yeshi Choden accompanies her 10-year-old daughter to school every day. Her daughter suffers from cerebral palsy. She recalls the struggles she faced when she first moved to Phuentshogling.
Yeshi came solely for her daughter’s education only to discover Sonamgang Primary School, the designated Special Educational Needs school lacked the necessary infrastructure.
Just last year, Sonamgang Primary School was without inclusive and accessible amenities.
However, Yeshi feels reassured.
The school now has ramps and railings everywhere in and around it. It has a newly constructed toilet specially designed for children with disabilities.
A sensory room has also been developed with many other facilities to teach the students livelihood skills such as cooking, washing, and folding clothes, among others.
Yeshi Choden says, “There’s such a big difference here. They have separate toilets and classrooms, which is helpful. In other schools, there might be around forty students with just one teacher, but here, two students get one teacher. It’s made a huge difference, and I can see my child making progress.”
Other parents and teachers are also appreciative of the facilities.
“Last year, there was nothing like this, but now it’s different. For students who have trouble walking, there are ramps and railings everywhere. The classrooms are partitioned and have specially designed furniture. None of this was here before. Even the toilets have been specially designed,” says Deki, a parent.
“There’s a huge difference between how it was before and how it is now. With these new facilities, we’re able to do our jobs so much better, and the students can learn properly,” says Tshewang, the principal of Sonamgang Primary School.
All the facilities have been developed with support from the Education and Skills Development Ministry, Thromde and other agencies such as Bhutan Lottery. The facilities are said to be at par with international standards.
Meanwhile, the school is seeing an increasing number of enrolments of children living with disabilities every year.
Today, the school has about 30 children living with disabilities, out of which 19 are categorized as severe.
Kinley Dem, Phuentshogling
Edited by Sangay Chezom
