In the inaugural standalone national league table of India’s best special needs schools 2015, Tamana Autism Centre, Delhi is ranked #1 with top ratings on five of the ten parameters

An estimated 2.5 percent of India’s 480 million children aged below 18 years suffer from physical disabilities, mental retardation and varying degrees of learning difficulties. Yet, the number of special needs schools countrywide is minuscule.

According to Elementary Education in India 2013-14, published by the Delhi-based National University of Educational Planning and Administration (NUEPA), a mere 1.05 percent (15,211) of India’s 1.4 million primary-secondary schools provide education to children with special needs (CWSN). Moreover, even though the historic Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, mandates admission of children with special needs into all mainstream schools, this directive is followed more in the breach.

To encourage mainstream K-12 schools to make better provision for CWSN, in 2011 your editors introduced the parameter of special needs education in the annual EW India School Rankings (EWISR). This year, in response to parental demand, and to acknowledge the pioneering work done by the country’s special schools, we present a separate league table ranking the country’s most admired special needs schools.

To compile the league table of India’s Top 15 special needs schools, C fore field researchers also interviewed 288 parents of CWSN and special educators in four cities — Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Bangalore. They were asked to rate and rank special schools on ten parameters of education excellence — competence of faculty, teacher welfare and development, quality of programme and pedagogy, rehabilitation, co-curricular education, individual attention to students, leadership/management quality, safety and hygiene, infrastructure provision and value for money. Given that awareness of special needs schools is low, the rankings have been limited to the four cities.

In the inaugural standalone national league table of special needs schools, the Tamana Autism Centre — School of Hope, Delhi is ranked India’s #1 special needs school with top ratings on five of the ten parameters. Promoted in 1992 by Dr. Shayama Chona, the legendary former principal of Delhi Public School, R.K. Puram (Delhi) where she served for 35 years (1978-2009), Tamana provides education, vocational training, therapy and rehabilitation services to 320 students mentored by 23 therapists, 38 special educators and four psychologists.

“This recognition is a matter of great pride not just for the institution but also for parents, professionals and the Tamana community. Our highly-qualified special educators provide holistic education through individualised education plans for each student. The teacher training cell provides Rehabilitation Council of India-recognised courses to educators and parents. Our autism research centre’s team of software engineers has developed applications to aid children with special needs. We are currently partnering with Microsoft and Google to use ICT to enhance the lives of individuals with autism and special needs,” says Usha Varma, a social science post-graduate of Agra University with over 23 years’ experience as a special educator and director of Tamana since 2012.

Ranked next is another pioneer special needs school of the national capital — Amar Jyoti (estb.1981), followed by Asha Kiran Special Needs School, Bangalore at #3, S.P.J. Sadhana School, Mumbai (#4) and Academy for Severe Handicaps and Autism, Bangalore (#5). Promoted in 1993 by Rita James, a special needs education postgraduate of the British Open University, UK, Asha Kiran is affiliated with the Delhi-based National Institute of Open Schooling and provides schooling and vocational training to 122 children (including 15 boarders) challenged by autism, dyslexia, ADHD, hearing impairments, and learning disabilities.

“I experienced unspeakable joy upon receiving the news of our #3 all-India rank, and express gratitude to our Lord Jesus Christ, children, parents, teachers and staff who have contributed to this achievement. Our objective is to make every special child a contributing member of society by detecting their God given gifts and training them systematically,” says James.

Radhike Khanna, vice principal of the fourth ranked SPJ Sadhana School, Mumbai (estb.1973), is pleased that EducationWorld has introduced a separate league table of special needs schools. “It’s commendable that EducationWorld has acknowledged the critical importance of special education in the country, and chosen to rate special schools on parameters such as quality of faculty, curriculum and leadership. S.P.J. Sadhana is a specialist school, the only one of its type in the country with an excellent faculty. We train children with multiple handicaps and mental challenges to become productive members of society. We are focused on preparing our students for self-sustaining livelihoods. This year we had a 97 percent success rate of placing our students in mainstream jobs,” says Khanna. Currently, the school sited on a one acre plot within the Sophia College campus in downtown Mumbai, has an enrolment of 130 students mentored by 60 staff.

Completing the Top 10 table are the newly promoted Aditya Birla Integrated School, Mumbai (estb.2014) ranked #6 and Gateway School, Mumbai (estb.2012 in collaboration with the Gateway School, New York) at #7 followed by Bethany Society’s Jyoti Sroat School, Shillong (#8), Sankalap, Chennai (#9) and Bubbles Centre for Autism, Bangalore (#10).