New building for special kids at Sirvoi

QUEPEM: The Lokvishwas Pratishthan, a non-government organization (NGO) working for the disabled and special children for 35 years, will construct a new building with more space and a barrier-free environment to cater to children from three talukas at Sirvoi.
At present, a school run by the NGO on rented premises in Quepem caters to 51 children from Sanguem, Rivona, Curpem, Cacora, Molcornem, Keri, Zambaulim, Sirvoi, Cuncolim and Ambaulim.
The new building complex will provide better accessibility to the disabled with ramps, wide entrances with passages, lift, wheelchairs, disabled-friendly toilets, tactile flooring and information signboards in Braille.
“We hope to give our existing special students and many others in and around Quepem a place to come together and learn in a spacious atmosphere and modern amenities along with quality education,” said the institute’s chairman, Anup Priolkar.
The new building, estimated to cost about Rs 6 crore and with 20 classrooms, would be able to accommodate about 100 students and have facilities for music, speech therapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, vocational centre and a multipurpose hall.
The building, which will be completed in December 2017, will have boarding facilities for the state’s hearing-impaired children, with the ground and first floor exclusively for children with mental illnesses.
At present, the institute runs five schools in Ponda, Canacona, Quepem, Marcel and Molem catering to more than 500 children with various disabilities across Goa.