The Country’s only Institute for the visually impaired in Khaling, Trashigang has come a long way since its establishment in 1973. The institute has so far nurtured and shaped the lives of many visually impaired people in the country. The institute has been recently renamed as Muenselling Institute.
The Institute, with its motto “education for all and seeing the world through fingers” has currently 41 visually impaired students. It is here where they learn everything starting from walking to earning their livelihood. Many of them said they are blessed to have this Institute, which they consider as their paradise.
Founded by a Norwegian couple and established in the year 1973, the Institute is playing a crucial role in shaping the lives of so many visually impaired students in the country.
Initially established as a school for the blind with only 3 students, the institute has come a long way. Out of over 100 students who passed out from the institutes, 34 of them are currently working in various government services.
|
[media id=519 width=320 height=260]
|
|---|
The Institute itself has seen a lot of developments in recent years. Today, the Institute has 26 teaching staff and 13 non-teaching staff.
Apart from the regular academic classes the students today take part in various activities like music, physical education, computer and Driglam Namzha classes. But manpower shortage especially to print the braille textbooks is biggest challenge faced by the Institute today.
“We have few cases where we cannot support and we are sorry. They come here in a hope to receive support from us but instead of giving them full support and education we failed 2 to 3 times because the client was a very challenging one. A single profession cannot do that. We need child psychologist and we do not have that facility in the Institute,” said Tshongpen Wangdi, Principal of the Institute.
Despite all the challenges, Muenselling Institute will continue to be a paradise for the visually impaired children. And it will have its door open for every visually impaired child in the Country.
