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Colombo, SRI LANKA – Around the world, countries are increasingly aware of people living with disabilities, including conditions like dyslexia, ADHD and autism.
Nations and governments have also become more aware of the educational needs of children with these conditions.
In many Western, high-income countries, the need for special education and future employment opportunities for these children has been well-documented and in many cases, realized.
But in Sri Lanka, an island country off the Indian subcontinent, there is less awareness and action concerning the needs of these children, according to a 2021 report by UNICEF.
One of the few schools here that solely educates these children is the Chitra Lane School for the Special Child.
Tharusha Nethmira, an 11-year old student at Chitra Lane, spoke with Youth Journalism International about his experiences.
According to Tharusha, life at Chitra Lane is good. His teachers are kind, he said, and he likes learning.
He said he looks forward to hanging out with his friends and going to events like the sports meets at the school.
The only complaint the boy had about Chitra Lane is that there was never enough time to play. Recess should be much longer, he said.
Founded in 1967, the school, alongside Chitra Lane’s Resource Center and Sheltered Workshop, is an institution when it comes to helping children with special needs in Sri Lanka.
But despite the school’s longevity, there are many challenges it faces when helping its children.
In an interview with Youth Journalism International, Kimaya Weerasekera, a psychologist and English teacher at the Chitra Lane school, discussed some of the challenges and rewards that come from working with children with special needs.
Weerasekera said that many of the resources not available in Sri Lanka are often freely accessible online, meaning that a lack of resources is often not a problem.
Awareness, Weerasekera said, is often the main challenge that works against teaching these children.
“Not a lot of parents are aware,” said Weerasekera, when asked about how parents respond to a diagnosis.
Families who don’t understand these conditions may feel there is something wrong with their child – or worse, ashamed of them. It could keep parents from pursuing help.
“We don’t want to scare parents,” she added, stating that otherwise their children would not get the help they need.
In a field as varied as special needs, the teacher needs to adapt evidence-based methods in order to help and give the best education to each student.
“No two kids can be educated in the same way,” said Weereaskera.
The images above show a tree in the school courtyard and a classroom inside the school. (Shanish Fernando/YJI)
Parents also have a role to play when educating their children. Methods and exercises given by teachers have to be repeated at home in order for them to be fully effective.
“It’s a team effort,” said Weerasekera.
Youth Journalism International also spoke with Nelun Ratwatte, administrative coordinator at Chitra Lane, on the challenges faced by children with special needs in Sri Lanka.
Ratwatte stated that the government “can do a lot more” when it comes to helping kids with special needs.
The Sri Lankan government pays the salaries of some of the Chitra Lane teachers, but most of them are paid by Chitra Lane’s patron and other sponsors.
But a lack of awareness and training holds back many of their projects as therapists and teachers trained in special needs education are few and far between.
Ratwatte also commented on the opportunities available to students at Chitra Lane after they graduate from Chitra Lane.
At Chitra Lane, children are encouraged to learn and develop skills that can help them find jobs when they leave school, such as cooking and sewing.
Once they graduate, these children can enroll in the Chitra Lane Sheltered Workshop for further vocational training.
Many students who went through the workshop went on to have successful careers in fields such as hospitality and cookery, Ratwatte said.
Despite the multiple challenges that both the children and their teachers face in the country, both Weerasekera and Ratwatte believe that children with special needs can have a bright future in Sri Lanka.
As Weerasekera said, the main goal at Chitra Lane is to “try to empower each child,” no matter the obstacles working against them.
Shanish Fernando is a Reporter with Youth Journalism International.
