Our Ideologies
Mission Statement
To give children with hearing impairment specialized and quality education that would help them to grow into independent individuals who are not only capable of chasing their dreams and aspirations but also responsible citizens who are able to make meaningful contributions to society.
Objectives
- To educate the hearing-impaired and facilitate overall development of each student from infancy to young adulthood so that they become contributing members of society.
- To emphasis the development of language and communication and enhance literacy and numerical skills.
- To prepare students for higher education and vocational training.
- To ensure involvement of the parents, family and extended family in the education and socialization of students with hearing impairment.
- To research into educationally relevant areas.
- To arrange and provide rehabilitative services to the hearing impaired population in and around Puducherry.
Beliefs
At SPSHI, we firmly believe that :
- Each child has unique needs, interests and abilities and a holistic approach is essential for the development of the child
- All children whose hearing is impaired can learn to listen, think, talk, achieve and fully participate in the ‘hearing world’
- An academic program should be broad, challenging, and individualized to promote a lifelong desire to learn
- Communication and literacy skills are keys to success in all areas
- The ‘handicap’ of hearing loss can be minimized with a strong foundation in listening, language and socially appropriate behaviour
- A close and constant interaction between the management, the teachers, the students and their families is essential for the students’ growth and development
Past & Present
It was with the objective of preparing children with hearing impairment for a better tomorrow that Shri Patcheappane School for the Hearing Impaired was established in Puducherry on 24th August 1994 by Shri Patcheappane Society for Education, Research and Rehabilitation of the Hearing Impaired, a non-profit, non-governmental, voluntary organization, registered in Puducherry, under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. The School began with 4 students and a special teacher in a single class room. Today, after 23 years the school has grown to accommodate 110 students, 13 teachers and 3 non-teaching staff. It has a Pre-Primary and Primary Section with 6 classes that function in the main building at Sathyamurthy Nagar. It also has a Secondary Section with another 6 classes that functions in annexed building at Thengaithittu.
Achievements
The first batch of students appeared for the X Board Examination in March 2007 and they produced a 100% pass result. This was for the first time in the history of Union territory of Puducherry that students from a Special School had passed a Board Examination. This trend continues even today with all the 10 batches having cleared the Board Examination with a 100% pass. Not only that, some of the students have even secured 100% in subjects like Mathematics ,Science and Social Science while some others have even entered the Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Merit list in the Disability Category. Most of the passed out students have gone on to do courses like B.Com, B.Sc, B.V.A, B.Tech. and Polytechnic.
The school has participated in the Primary, Middle and High School level science Exhibitions conducted by the Department of Education and has won several top prizes at the State, Regional and Zonal level. It even created history by becoming the first school for the hearing impaired to qualify for the National level, that too twice. It even won the Dinamalar Cup for the Best Science Exhibit in 2008.
The school has won many prizes in Sports, Drawing and Cultural Competitions held at various places in and around Pondicherry.
The school has won many prizes in Sports, Drawing and Cultural Competitions held at various places in and around Pondicherry.
The school won the Best Institution Award from the Dept. of Social Welfare, Puducherry in December 2009.
Voluntary Services
Student Care
- Arranges sponsorships for tuition fees, hearing aids, uniforms, text books and stationeries for the needy students.
- Organises free General, Dental, ENT and Eye check-ups for the students
Outreach Programs
- Organizes free Hearing Diagnostic and Fitment Service Camp for the general public with the intention of early identification and intervention
- Provides training in deaf education to students of rehabilitative courses.
- Organizes free Hearing Awareness Programs
- Conducts Refresher courses for the teachers of the hearing impaired
- Organizes Blood Donation Camps every year in collaboration with JIPMER Blood Bank on the occasion of World Disabled Day
Admission
All children with hearing impairment from 2.5 years of age, irrespective of caste, religion or sex, are eligible for admission provided that they have no other major disability.
Administration
The School is run by an Executive Committee comprising of the Founder-President Mrs Sarasvady Sunder, 3 office bearers and 8 members.
1 Mrs. Sarasvady Sunder President
2. Mr. Kaliyamourthy Vice-President
3. Mr. Tandabany.P Gen-Secretary
4. Dr.Seetha.R Treasurer
5. Mr. Aroumougame Executive Committee Member
6. Mr. Coumaragovindane Executive Committee Member
7. Mr. Venkatachalam Executive Committee Member
8. Ms. Leelavathy Patrick Executive Committee Member
9. Mr. Ponnuram Executive Committee Member
10. Mr. Leblanc Lucien Executive Committee Member
11. Mrs. Lalitha Nair Executive Committee Member
The School is also blessed with a team of sincere and dedicated staff who execute their duties efficiently.
Honorary Director Mrs. Sarasvady Sunder
Honorary Principal Prof. Lalitha Nair
Honorary Manager Mr. P.Tandabany
Teaching Staff 13
Non-Teaching Staff 3
Future Plans
Construction of New School Building
The School presently functions at two premises both located in the Union Territory of Puducherry. The Pre-Primary and Primary section of the School functions in a rented building at Satyamurthy Nagar. The Secondary sections function in a building at Thengaithittu that has been provided on a long lease by the Pondicherry Rivage Round Table -104, as a token of their appreciation of the School’s work.
However, over the last 23 years, the School has grown in stature and now aspires to have a single building of its own that would house all the sections in one place. This move is seen as necessary for it would bring the presently physically separated teachers and students of the two sections together. This would in turn bring about greater cohesion and collaboration. Moreover, the elimination of space restraints would make way for more classrooms and consequently no child seeking admission would need to be rejected. Also children would get enough space to play and new structures like an Auditorium, a Smart Room, a full-fledged Science Lab, a Library, a Speech Therapy Room etc., could be constructed to enrich the learning program. Finally in addition to all the other benefits, a new building would put the entire School under one roof and thus make administrative work much easier.
Recently, with the support and the untiring efforts of all the school staff, parents of students and all our well-wishers, we did manage to raise enough funds to buy a piece of land area of 31,120 sq feet for the school at Thondamanatham. We now look forward to raising funds again to construct the New School Building with many more facilities for the students.
Starting an Early Intervention Program
To achieve the goal of ‘Education for all’ the Government of India has embarked upon the ‘Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan’ and is very keen on its full implementation. The program aims at total inclusion of children with disabilities in the normal stream. So it becomes the duty of all special Schools to facilitate the implementation of the government policy. Keeping this in mind, SPSHI eagerly looks forward to starting an Early Intervention Program wherein special children as young as 0 to 2.5 years along with their parents would be given special training. This would facilitate the children’s inclusion into normal stream. To achieve this, we require infrastructure and specially trained teachers.
Introducing Sign Language
Although the school follows the oral-aural method, it does not underestimate the role sign language can play in enhancing a student’s communication skills and cognitive development. It therefore hopes to introduce sign language as part of the school curriculum along with the pre-existing languages Tamil and English.
Starting a Parents Training Program
Empowerment of parents is the key to the success of children with hearing impairment. Having realized that, the School is keen to start a 3-month Parents' Training Program to equip parents with the skill required to educate their children at home. This would not only aid the School in its endeavor to provide quality education to its students but also help mainstream them. For this, we would require to set up a dormitory for parents coming from far off places to reside while they do the course, apart from other infrastructure and recruitment of special trainers.
Starting a Computer Center for students
The School realizes the growing importance of computers in every sphere of life and therefore feels it necessary to make all its students computer literate. Knowledge of computers would also open more opportunities for them to get a job in the future. To achieve this, we hope to set up a Computer Center and recruit instructors.
Starting a Pre-Vocational Training Program
Not all students are academically oriented. Moreover some students join school very late and so are not able to cope with the academic program. Hence the School plans to starts a Pre-Vocational Training Program that would equip them with some skills that would help them make a livelihood.
Installing a Diagnostic Unit
We hope to start a Diagnostic Unit where students can assess their hearing, get hearing-aids fitted, get ear-moulds done and also get hearing-aids repaired, all at a low cost and under one roof which would save the parents both time and the hassle of having to search and run around for each service.
