The echoes of the phonetics cannot be heard here but can only be expressed in sign language. Amidst the serene locale of the Lawson’s Bay Colony, the high walls of the Omkar and Lion’s School for the Deaf and Dumb contain many unheard voices. The school was initially established in 1974 with just two children and now has 225 students who come from Vizianagaram, Srikakulam and East Godavari districts apart from the city. At present, it has four teachers aided by the State government and 13 aided by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD). The subjects taught here are Telugu, mathematics, social studies, and sciences. Despite the State government, MHRD, and the management taking care of salaries, the staff cribs about their low pay. Many teachers, who are qualified and trained in sign language, keep quitting either due to irregular or nominal salaries paid.
‘Shortfall’
People donate for the improvement of the infrastructure and related facilities but the salaries were not taken care of by the management, said one of the teachers. “We are unable to introduce English and computer subjects due to lack of faculty.
And there is always a shortfall of physics and maths teachers,” another teacher said. B.V. Ramanayya, a donor and maths teacher, has taken up the initiative of teaching the subject to high school students.
As one of the students Swathi tries to solve the theory of indices in a fraction of a second, rest of the students appreciate her by clapping. And she courteously gestured a ‘thank you’. “Students are very bright here and I wish to volunteer during my free time out of interest,” he said.
Nearly 225 students communicate their thoughts silently, and the teachers’ lament that they are paid as less as Rs.2,500 per month and that too not on a regular basis. Deen Dayal Foundation of Central government extends its donation for the salaries of the staff; attention should be paid to retain the teachers.
