TIRUCHY: Three autistic children from Tiruchy, K Sanjay Prasana of Manachanallur Boys Higher Secondary School, Sri Ramalu of Bishop Heber School, and Ajay of Srirangam Boys Higher Secondary School broke barriers by clearing their Class 12 board exams.
An official said that all of them who faced severe communication challenges, struggled in learning, passed the exams with the help of scribes, marking a first-of-its-kind achievement in Tiruchy.
Their journey began at Devi Corporation Middle School, where headmistress P Poongodi and her team spent five years helping them adapt in their earlier education.
Poongodi said, “We arranged special teachers through the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA). Initially, even making them sit in class was difficult. They were hesitant to even sit inside the class. Regular therapy and consistent support slowly helped them adjust.”
Trainer P Poornam, who has been working with differently abled students since 2017, had a huge role in laying the foundation for their current success. Though the parents were hesitant at first, as their children grew older, but remained in the lower classes. However, this success shows that consistent, customised teaching can bring results.”
Their personal victories reflect a broader trend in Tiruchy, where differently abled students from both government and government-aided schools recorded a significant academic leap this year. Out of 366 students with disabilities who appeared for the Class 12 board exams, 349 students passed, and the success rate was up by 95.62% compared to last year, where it was 94.9% (261 out of 275). 205 with Intellectual Disability, 68 with Learning Disability, and 25 with Low Vision appeared for the exam this year.
SSA officials said, “It is one of the most challenging jobs to teach differently abled students to learn and understand, and the success of these students should be duly credited to those who laid the basics of education for them in the early stages.”
Across Tiruchy, 72 special educators and 13 physiotherapy teachers operate through 17 centres, offering continuous therapy, academic basics, and home-based and day-care support.