Chitra Lane's school for the 'special child':

People like you... Make people like me... Like people like you

by Ranga Chandrarathne
 

A Child in a society or in a culture is the very foundation of the Nation's future as they would shape the destiny of the Nation. However, most of the citizens do not take this very important fact into consideration.

As each and every man and woman differs from one another in one aspect or another, a child also differs in terms of talents and inborn characteristics. Some are gifted with inborn talents while others may be slow or handicapped in their physical or mental faculties. However, children cannot be discarded like other perishable goods as they constitute human resource of the nation which should be enhanced and developed in order to build a strong and skillful labour force.

Perhaps, Chitra Lane School for the Special Child is one of the few schools in Sri Lanka dedicated to the intellectually impaired children. An exhibition of talents by the school which was recently held at the school premises is part of their continuing process of integrating these special children into the mainstream society.

It is indeed inspirational to see the creations by these children though they are impaired in their abilities in some aspects of life.

From the invitation to the exhibition, to the T-shirts printed by the students under the theme of 'Integration within society and acceptance', is indeed commendable.

Some of the children displayed costumes expressing in their own way their aspiring professions. It is, certainly, a progressive step that the school has taken to instill hope and confidence in those children and teach them to believe in them and their limitations encouraging the children to make a positive contribution to society.

The Chitra Lane School and Children's Resources Centre strived hard to stamp off the social stigma attached to intellectual impairments which is often born out of gross ignorance and jealousy and to integrate them as individuals with special needs into society as independent and productive members.

Founded in 1968 under the name "Welfare Society of the School for the Mentally Subnormal Child", with two pupils, one teacher and a group of dedicated volunteers who believed in the potential of the intellectually impaired child, has now grown to be the Chitra Lane School.

The school currently houses 265 students and follows a comprehensive child-centered special curriculum, including skills development and sports, creative arts and extra-curricular activities.

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