According to an estimate, some 2 to 2.5 percent people in India suffer from mental problems of one kind or the other. While the causes leading to mental disabilities are in many cases not known, our society has a strange attitude towards mentally challenged persons. They and their families are ridiculed and shunned by the society as though they are afflicted by a divine curse. The family members suffer from a sense of inferiority, and live a practically ostracised life. The person suffering the disability suffers much more on account of the indifferent, and in many cases, hostile attitude of the family members and the society than due to the disability itself. S/he is neglected, denied love, affection and care, and kept confined to a secluded corner of the house, sometimes even in chains. Every member of the family awaits his departure from this world. In quite a few cases the mentally afflicted person is thrown out of the house and is forced to wander around wallowing in dirt and dust- an object of pity by some, often of loathe and detestation by many others – and condemned to a life of slow, painful death. The meager institutional facilities available for such people are able to provide scant care and attention.
Mentally challenged children constitute a significant proportion of this population. Very often the correct diagnosis of what is afflicting them is not available and even if it is, parents are in many cases unaware, if not unwilling, of what to do and how to proceed in their efforts to bring about some improvement in the child Often they take recourse to quacks and soothsayers promising miracle cures and superstitious practices in search of instant remedies, which are not only ineffective, but often aggravate the problem and are generally cruel to the hapless child. The existing medical and psychiatric and counseling facilities are available only in some select big cities and villages are left to the mercy of God. As the treatment is long and results are very slow in coming, many people give up and accept it as their fate. There is an all round ignorance about the difference between a mental disease and disability and no attention is paid to set right the unacceptable behavior of the child by following proper training and treatment procedure. No one has the patience to endure a very slow, boring and exhausting process of training such a child. The family remains stressed out in an environment of despondency. The only way to provide some relief to the family and the child is a proper and correct diagnosis of the problem and to create a friendly and positive environment around him. The parents should be motivated to shed their inferiority complex, told about how to conduct themselves in their dealings with their children and how the basic life skills necessary for survival like cleaning and eating skills, toilet use and other such things which come naturally to normal children, must be taught to them. In addition, efforts should be made to teach them socially acceptable behavior to the extent possible along with reading and writing. They should be encouraged to mix with normal children, and the latter should be motivated to accept them as friends and play with them. Training in positive skills and socially acceptable behavior and promoting healthy communication between normal children and a mentally challenged child will result in keeping the entire family happy and reduce stress levels, and will also help in minimizing unacceptable behavior from the child.
In order to provide guidance to such parents and to teach basic life skills and vocational skills to the extent possible to these children in a friendly and happy environment, The Haryana Police Academy, under its ‘Samvedi Police programme decided to set up a school in the HPA complex at Madhuban. An extensive survey was carried out in the nearby villages to assess the extent of problem with the help of the medical/paramedical staff of the campus hospital and civil dispensaries located in these villages. The assistance of local sarpanches, pradhans and other public – spirited person was also taken to persuade the villagers to shed their reservations and diffidence and come out with information about such children. A total of 35 families were located in the first instance, three of them policemens’, in which at least one member was affected. All these families together with affected children were invited to Madhuban complex where a presentation was made before them on 21.4.07 about the handling and training of these children and also how a significant improvement in the quality of their life could be brought about through sustained effort. A team of volunteer specialist doctors came from Karnal who examined these children and determined the nature and extent of their problems.
The school for mentally challenged children formally came into existence on 28.4.07, with an initial intake of 8 children, five of whom were from nearby villages and belonged to socially and economically backward families and three were from police families. A teacher was also appointed to look after these children. The school was named ‘Pehal’ meaning ‘The Initiative’.
Coming as they did from poor background, these children were totally careless about their hygiene, cleanliness and social behavior. They were generally from unhappy families, their fathers were mostly liquor addicts squandering most of their earnings in their vices and the poor mothers having to take care of these children as also the routine household chores. A total state of neglect was pervasive all around in the family environment, which affected the children. A few of them were undernourished and as pointed out by the doctors during their initial check up, suffered from malnutrition related problems. Almost all of them were highly diffident and withdrawn. One boy about 18 years of age was kept under drugs and would go to sleep soon after arriving at the school, and cause disturbance and break things whenever awake. One girl would just sit in a corner and wouldn’t talk to anyone. Most of them were highly forgetful and scared of anyone approaching them.
A small two – room structure was earmarked to house the school. Some educative and entertaining toys were procured and necessary furniture arranged. Facilities to wash face and hands and a lavatory were provided. It was insisted that either the mother or the caregiver in the family must accompany the child. They were provided with soap, towel etc for use at home too. Their cleanliness was checked every day and they were made to wash their hands before eating their tiffin. They were taught to lay the tablemats before eating, and after finishing their lunch clean the mats and store them at the designated place. The children were made to carry a small handkerchief and its use was demonstrated to them. Proper way of using the toilet and washbasin was demonstrated and practised. All these methods were shown to the caregivers also so they could repeat it at home. There was a lot of resistance and reluctance from both the caregivers and children in the beginning but in a month or so it became a part of their habit.
Concerted efforts were made to befriend these children by playing with them, holding hands; tickling and making them participate in other such games using frequent body contact. This helped remove their shyness and scare of the teachers. Singing and dancing with them invariably formed a part of the daily routine. Games like laying wooden bricks one on top of another, passing a string though colored beads, putting rings on a small wood piece, playing with soft rubber balls with the teacher etc were also introduced, which helped mind – hand – eye coordination. Help of a physiotherapist was also taken whenever needed to suggest exercises to improve their grip and finger movement.
It was made clear to all the parents and care – givers to try to replicate these efforts at home and also not to expect any fast results, but be prepared for a long-term effort with patience and determination. They were advised to shower all their love on these children much the same way as they did on the normal ones and encourage their siblings to play with them and treat them as equal. It was however noticed that over a period of time the care givers themselves adopted an indifferent attitude. They would sit in a group themselves, neglecting their wards, and start gossiping. This also resulted in distraction for the children. In spite of all efforts, this habit could not be curbed. We, therefore were compelled to ask them not to come to the school. Instead, the teachers occasionally met them and enquired about the progress of the child, and also offered suggestions incase they had any problems.
Within a period of 3 to 4 months these efforts started showing results and improvement in the habits and behavior of these children became discernible. As the school started gaining popularity, people got encouraged to educate their childrens and make use of the facilities, available here at virtually no cost. Over the last 2 ½ years this school has attracted not just mentally challenged children, but all those who suffer from any kind of disability (A list of the students of Pehal is given as annexure), and find a normal government or private school inhospitable for any reason – constant teasing by fellow students, indifference shown and sometimes even indignity inflicted on them by the teachers and other staff of the school and inability to catch up with the instructions given in the class. Generally they come out of these schools suffering from a sense of inferiority and inadequacy, become shy and reclusive and also incommunicative. Their pent up anger often finds expression at awkward moments – at home or in village streets – which further complicates the problem as their acceptability in the society declines further. It is a double tragedy for them – disability combined with neglect, indifference and disapproval – and makes their life miserable.
The first task to be performed by the teachers of Pehal is, therefore, to give these children a sense of being ‘wanted’ and to treat them with care and tenderness despite occasional idiosyncrasies in their behavior. The most important qualification for such a teacher is obviously therefore a loving and caring attitude. At Pehal we have seen that such attitude attracts everyone – even those children who are considered very difficult to handle. We have given brief pen – portraits of some of the students of Pehal in the Annexure. Most of these cases look similar and repetitive. However, the idea is to convey to the reader the fact that a basic level of education and training can be imparted to these children by the teachers or care givers without any formal training themselves – all they need is commonsense. The only condition is that the child should trust you and a basic bond of love should exist between him and you. In that sense, such schools can be opened anywhere subject only to the availability of the right type of people to work as teachers. This is not in the least to negate the importance of special training for the teachers. If you have a trained teacher with the right kind of attitude, it is certainly an asset. However, what we are trying to aim at is to provide the basic level of education and care to the child – not dealing with complicated cases for which a specialist’s help must be sought. It is something like running a basic health care centre teaching hygiene, sanitation and clean eating and drinking habits. Such a centre can never be a substitute for a multi specialty hospital but its availability is in its own way very useful for the local people especially in rural and faraway areas. Mere absence or unavailability of a trained teacher or training facilities need not be an excuse for not providing care to such children. It also follows that such primary care centers can be opened in all areas wherever there is need – even in ones own home – with minimal expense. The joy and satisfaction of doing something for such children and seeing their smiles and love for you is the reward you get for your efforts.
A weekly timetable of activities has been chalked out at Pehal. During the summer months the school starts at 9: a.m. and continues till 12 noon. During winters the timings are 10 a.m. to 1: p.m. The first half an hour is dedicated to checking of cleanliness of the children, prayer and yoga and other exercises. From 9: 30 to 11:00 they are taught Hindi, English and Maths – each suiting to the level of the individual child and also other activities like making of paper toys, envelops, drawing, painting, and sifting of beads and necklace making. The teachers constantly assist the children in all these activities. 11: 00 – 11:30 is lunch time. All the children are made to wash their hands with soap and water and wipe with towel and sit on the floor in an orderly way while eating. After the lunch is over they are also told to pick up the refuse, if any. 11: 30 – 12:00 is for recreation, games, story telling and other activities. During this period the children sing and dance and play together, recite nursery rhymes, poems, and local folk songs and also play games. Once in a while the children are also taken to the ground for outdoor activities.
Besides the above the children are also encouraged to participate in the following activities.
- Brooming the premises, washing dusters and keeping things in order at the school
- Watering and taking care of the plants
- Fetching drinking water and helping smaller children in drinking it
- Wearing clothes and shoes properly and helping smaller children to do so
- Maintaining discipline, making of queue while boarding the bus etc
All the children of Pehal feel very happy coming to school and enjoy their stay. Some of them even protest holidays whenever announced. They also enjoy the bus ride to the school and like the overall environment. Pehal has now extended its reach and covers 21 villages and surrounding areas. A total of 59 children are now under its care at Madhuban School and 18 at Nagla Megha School, where the school is run for 3 hours in the afternoon in the local government school building. (Interestingly, at Nagla Megha about 45-50 normal children also come to attend the afternoon classes, and a separate room and a teacher has been arranged for them) Pehal children are often taken out to witness various events in Madhuban complex and take part in functions organized by Haryana Police Public School on its Annual day and on festivals like Raksha bandhan and Diwali, and in sport activities. They are also encouraged to participate in competitions organized for differently abled children by similar institutions at Karnal, and occasionally taken out on picnics to places of interest. Trainees attending various courses in Haryana Police Academy also visit Pehal Schools as a part of their sensitization porgramme. These police personnel mingle and play with the children and during village visits interact with their parents and other villagers whenever possible and sensitise them about the care and attention to be devoted to these children and their families. They also exhort them to shed their indifference to these vulnerable sections of the society. Quite a few of them develop such an attachment for the children that they often visit the school again bringing sweets and gifts for them. The payment of the measly monthly fee of Rs. 30/- which was prescribed at the time of opening of the school was subsequently made voluntary as many parents were unwilling, saying they could not afford it, and has now been altogether scrapped.
Pehal has acted not only as an educational centre for these children, but has also become an effective motivator for the police personnel and other officers coming to the Academy for training. It sensitises them to these highly neglected sections of the society and helps reshape their attitude and behavior towards them. Interacting with these innocent and guileless children also acts as a stress buster for them. Pehal school has been able to generate a lot of goodwill among the population of the surrounding villages, and has thus in a small way helped to remove the negative image and fear of police from the minds of the people and promote its humane face.