Parents and teachers are the most important people in one’s life. This is very much true in case of children with special needs, who are totally dependent on their parents and teachers for their care and concern. Parents can help their child to grow as a normal human being, but a teacher, who is specialised in taking care of the children with special needs like stammering, mental and physical disabilities, helps the child to grow as a successful person. A special educator is always a door of opportunity to children suffering from mental and physical disabilities. They are the people who educate them according to the children’s understanding level and capacity.
Such special teachers are called Special Educators and play a major role in the life of children with special needs. Special needs include deaf, dumb, mentally disabled and physically handicapped. Not all can afford to put their child with disabilities in a special education school. For all those needy parents who want their children to grow as successful citizens, but are unable to access the special education needs are sending their children to Boggavarapu Seetha Ramaiah Memorial Training Centre for Handicapped.
Boggavarapu Seetha Ramaiah Memorial Training Centre for Handicapped was established in 1995 in Pidduguralla, Guntur to give shape to the noble cause of providing quality and free education to children with special needs. Initially, the centre started off its service by giving free education to 11 students. And today, after completing 13 successful years, with the growing needs and popularity of the training centre, there are more than 140 students enrolled in the centre availing free education and other facilities.Beginning from primary education centre, the training centre has reached the level of higher education. BSM training centre has established a junior college for deaf, dumb and mentally handicapped in order to make them independent and capable of handling their career and future perfectly. Government organisations have framed many reservations in regard to employment and related specific needs for the disabled persons.
BSM training centre trains students to achieve the capabilities to face the competitive world. More than 1000 plus jobs are available in government organisations and the training centre is striving hard to train the children to perform the jobs meant for them. The motto behind establishment of the training centre is achievement of the cause that no single child who is mentally or physically disabled is left ignored. The students are groomed to become better individuals and taught employment abilities so that they are not treated as a burden to the society or their family.
The students are also encouraged to participate in singing and other cultural activities where they play and enjoy apart from regular education. It also conducts competitions in order to bring out their talent and encourages them by awarding prizes. The institute believes that by planning such activities, it builds competitive spirit in the students and motivates them to aim for a prize.
BSM training centre provides free education, free transport, free accommodation and free food facilities to the students. The training centre is shaping up as the best school and college in the village providing all necessary facilities for the handicapped. People, who are proactive towards this human cause, are always welcome to donate funds for the uplift of the school, junior college and forthcoming Degree College project.
BSM training centre has been successfully training children with different disabilities and also catering to their primary educational needs. The institute offers free special education, vocational education and speech therapy to children with special needs. Till date, the institute has successfully trained three batches and the students are ready to work in an organisation.
Special Education
Special Education is the process of educating children with special needs like learning difficulties, communication challenges, emotional and behavioural disorders, physical disabilities, and developmental disorders. Students with these kinds of special needs are likely to benefit from additional educational services, different approaches to teaching, access to a resource room and use of technology.
To impart special education, specially trained educators are needed. The teachers teach the children with lot of patience. The centre’s unique approach of teaching has been recognised as the best part of service in and around the village. Utmost care in providing a healthy environment to children is undertaken.
Special Education professionals provide a whole range of services and support to children with disabilities, from mobility, feeding and lending a helping hand in physical therapy.
Vocational education:
Vocational education is training students who are having the followings disabilities mentally handicapped learners, learners with emotional problems, visually handicapped, hearing-impaired learners, learning disabled, speech-impaired learners, health-impaired learners, physically handicapped learners, multi-handicapped learners and disadvantaged learners.
Boggavarapu Seetha Ramaiah Memorial Training Centre for Handicapped offers vocational education irrespective of any kind of disability. The Centre is well-equipped with the entire necessary infrastructure required for vocational training. The centre provides vocational education to students and trains them according to their ability.
Speech Therapy
Speech therapy is for children who cannot communicate due to some difficulty. Some of the common problems that hold a child from communicating are limitations in hearing, slow muscular development, slower understanding of adult language, less practice of interacting with people, too passive role in social life, and over stimulation.
Boggavarapu Seetha Ramaiah Memorial Training Centre for Handicapped has a pool of trainers who are efficient in speech therapy. They understand the basic level of communication of each student and follow an easy way to recognise the capability and assess the student’s ability of learning. The centre offers different methodology to categorise children into groups so that the communication process through therapy is well understood by them and they follow the technique of learning the skill of speaking using sign language.
FREE Facilities: Boggavarapu Seetha Ramaiah Memorial Training Centre for Handicapped arranges mid day meals for students. They also believe in providing quality food to children. The children are taught to eat neatly and maintain a healthy environment around them. They are also taught the benefits of taking healthy and nutritious food in order to maintain a fit body. School uniforms are provided to students enrolled with the centre. The motto of Boggavarapu Seetha Ramaiah Memorial Training Centre for Handicapped is to serve the community of disabled students to best level possible and help them to live an independent life and achieve their goal.
Collector G Jaya Laxmi sanctioned mid-day meals scheme to the training centre of 40 students six years ago. Till date the scheme has been running smoothly and the students are benefitting from it.
Cultural Activities: Previously BSM training centre participated in cultural and sports events which were held annually at Bapatla village. The training center would take the children to participate in the events. From the last two years, the centre has been conducting annual and sports day events in the centre premises. Children enthusiastically take part in all events. They are encouraged by honouring them.
Faculty: BSM training centre has an experienced staff inclusive of special educators who have undergone training in prestigious institutions like SWEEKAAR and UPKAAR. They have practical experience and good analysis of understanding the children with special needs. Presently, the centre has seven special educators capable of dealing with children with mental and physical disabilities. Guest educators also visit the centre from time-to-time to take special classes.
Hostel and other Facilities: BSM training centre has hostel facilities for junior college students. They are provided free accommodation, food and education. Coming to other facilities, BSM training centre is well-equipped with infrastructure necessary to conduct classes for students. There is a computer lab, spacious class rooms and open place for outdoor activity. Late ate B V Butcheswara Rao, the man behind the establishment of the Boggavarapu Seetha Ramaiah Memorial Training Centre for Handicapped with an initiative to serve mankind. Hailing from Piduguralla, a small village in Guntur, B V Butcheswara Rao could not study after intermediate. Family problems prevented him from pursuing MBA. However, the man with a business spark set up Surya Chem and Surya colours. A successful businessman, he always was eager to return back to the society. Keeping his lack of finances in childhood in mind, B V Butcheswara Rao would help any parent or child who approached him for funds for education.
His aim in life was that everybody should be able to support themselves. One day, he happened to visit SPOORTHI, a NGO helping children who were orphans, disabled, and some of them whose parents were mentally and physically handicapped. The visit to Spoorthi brought about a change in B V Butcheswara Rao and he pledged to work for the disabled. He established the Boggavarapu Seetha Ramaiah Memorial Training Centre for Handicapped.
After his death, his wife Jaya Lakshmi, a housewife, has decided to fulfill her husband’s unfinished goal. From the next academic year, the training centre would start running Degree College for special children. To provide a helping hand to the noble cause and fulfill the special children’s dreams, some eminent personalities in the village and nearby areas have donated funds to the centre.
Any one wishing to donate to the centre can do so by donating online or sending a demand draft drawn in favour of the centre. All donations are exempted under Section 80G and 12A.