PANJIM: Parents of specially-abled students at Sanjay School Porvorim, staged a protest on Saturday, demanding the reopening of the Vocational Training and Rehabilitation Centre. They claimed that the centre shut down in October 2023 since the building was seen as unsafe. This has left 110 students, aged between 20 to 40 years old, without access to the centre, they claimed.
Expressing their distress, a concerned parent shared, “A student fell from the building and died in early September. Despite this tragedy, the school continued functioning until October 5, when we suddenly received a message to stop sending our children without any given explanation.”
Demanding the Chief Minister’s intervention, the protestors vowed to persist with the protest at Purple Fest venue on Monday or take legal action in the High Court.
The dire situation has compelled senior citizen parents to keep their children confined to the homes, when they step out of the house. “As nuclear families, we are left with no option but to lock our kids inside. The government has denied us the respite, we desperately need,” expressed another parent.
Amidst mounting frustrations, a parent questioned the sudden interest in calling the students back, hinting at the impending Purple Fest. “Why hasn’t the government utilized resources to build a new centre? If there’s funding for festivals, why not for these crucial services?” the concerned parent questioned.
DRAG President Avelino D’Sa highlighted the urgent need, saying, “About 110 students with intellectual and severe disabilities have been sitting at home for the past three months. The absence of their daily routine is deeply affecting them, causing behavioural issues that further challenge parents.”
Expressing disappointment over the Social Welfare minister’s lack of interest, D’Sa emphasised the urgency for action. “The centres must reopen immediately,” he stressed.
When questioned, Chairman of Sanjay School, Sidharth Kuncalienkar said “All efforts are being made to start the vocational classes. A meeting was held with parents and it was agreed that since the Sanjay School building was okay for use during the non-rainy season the vocational classes would be shifted to the Disabilities Commissioner’s office within Sanjay School.”
He informed that through the intervention of the Chief Minister, the Cyclone Centre at Penha da Franca panchayat was shortlisted for use for vocational classes of Sanjay School. He alleged, “In view of the ensuing Purple Fest some persons were trying to get publicity and misguiding parents. They should keep politics out of Sanjay School.”
