What stood between Ujay Krishna and his dream to go to school was his inability to attend classrooms. The 14-year-old differently abled boy from Kozhikode will soon realise his dream, as the classroom is coming home.
Ujay, from Kayakkody, could now attend classes through a virtual classroom set up at his house. Adith P.P., resource teacher at the Block Resource Centre (BRC), Kunnummal, said Ujay suffered from combined immune deficiency syndrome. The BRC resource teachers came to know about his interest in studies when they went to give him home tuition. “Resource teacher Usha Rani alerted us about Ujay’s wish to write the SSLC exam. It was decided after discussions with BRC officials that he could be included in our Asha Deepam project designed to utilise technology to help disabled children,” Mr. Adith said. At present, the differently abled children get only three classes as part of a home-based programme. A regular student gets at least 25 classes a month.
Mr. Adith said teachers and management of KPE Higher Secondary School, Kayakkody, offered to arrange a classroom for the purpose. The Muslim Educational Trust chipped in with financial help. Facilities, including a high-resolution camera, mike, and a computer, were set up at the school and broadband connection was provided. Similar facilities were provided at his home too so that Ujay could communicate with the teacher via videoconferencing.
Parents want him to study
“We want to let him study as far as possible,” says Jalaja, his mother. Ujay’s father, Udayan, works in the Gulf . Mr. Adith said Ujay would be able to attend classes between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and will sit in Class VIII. If he performs well, he can write the SSLC exam in 2020. The authorities should take steps to formulate a policy so that such classrooms could be set up for those who cannot go to schools,” Mr. Adith said. Education Minister C. Ravindranath is expected to inaugurate the facility.
