Model school of Dhaulagiri zone: Dhaulagiri Deaf Residential School, Bangechaur-1 Baglung

The school has been established in 2007 with the support of Nepal Government/District Education Office, Baglung. At the beginning total 24 deaf children were enrolled in the school now they have total 163 children are studying from 25 different district, one is from Bihar India. They have around  15 children are normal (non-deaf)  from deaf family and other really poor family. At the starting period of the school, they have to advertise for the student’s enrollment in FM radio and national daily papers like Kantipur, but nowadays they don’t have to publish their advertisement for the children. Now Dhaulagiri Deaf residential school is being one of the model schools for the deaf children with in the country. Within 7 years of time period they have been bring drastic changes of the school’s physical structure and other educational environment.

Plan International Nepal has started to support since 2008, Plan International Nepal provided hostel material support at the beginning and then after, Plan is continuously supporting the school to building construction, hostel materials (including clothing, lodging, fooding and kitchen item), school furniture, educational material support, teacher training, Computer engineering support, even for educational visit support. They are running civil engineering course since last year in the school, first batch of the engineering students are now in grade 10, the school are tying up the engineering course with the CTEVT for further engineering course from next year.

Total 4 teachers and one helper has started to run the school now they have 23 total staffs. Teachers and other administrative members proudly shared the changes after Plan International’s support for this school: “We have been bringing drastic changes with in the 8 years, you can see the changes in building construction, student’s enrollment, Hostel improvement (lodging and fooding habit), and educational status, enhance of teachers skills and knowledge, and many more. They added that they have taken the educational tour for the deaf children to the different deaf and non-deaf schools in different districts. Children’s learned many things from the visit such as; they have observed the other school of the nation, they can be able to compare the other school and students from different places. They have been developing the confidence to walk alone in different places if they need. They have been able to interact with other new people and they have been able to know that deaf children have right to use free services in different sector. This is only because of Plan International Nepal support.”

In addition, the school is successfully run in the Dhaulagiri with 23 total staffs and 163 total deaf children, among them 59 girls and 104 boys. 3 deaf children came from the Sindhupalchok after the devastating Eqrth Quake of 2015. In total 38 Dalit, 47 Janajati, and 78 are other castes students are studying. “I had to struggle a lot to find a good educational institution at the beginning. Being poor I was not been able to send my children in private school luckily I found Dhaulagiri deaf residential school where Plan is supporting for the educating chidren. I’m really glad to have such a good school and school environment for my children, I have a big hope Plan will support continuously for the educating deaf in near future-said Dev singh Pali (parent’s from Dadeldhura). Another non-deaf student proudly shared her experience with us,”I’m really glad to be a part of this school. I am staying and studying with deaf students. I found them really honest and respectable persons, this is my great opportunity have them that I am taking my normal school class and learning sign language as well, I can be a good translator in near future, I can serve to the society in near future.” The school and children are getting support from different agency and individual, however they are proudly shared Plan’s continuous support is significant to bring the drastic changes of its structure.

 

I found the school is in progress, they have been able to serve the quality of education within the country, they have inclusive student’s and staffs. The building is good enough for the children, they have separate library, science lab, sewing lab and class rooms. They are adjusting the children hostel in the same building however they are constructing another new building with the support of Kaduri charitable foundation Hongkong. Students seems very happy to stay and study in this school.