Meeting the need
Opened in 1935, St Joseph’s School for the Deaf and Blind has grown to accommodate 200 students
It was an O.M.I. priest Father Collerec who in 1929 came to this island with six volunteer Sisters from Belgium to care for patients with tuberculosis, then a killer disease, who laid the foundation for a school that today provides yeoman service for visually impaired children.
Their work did not end with TB patients and in 1935 the Sisters, with more volunteers, branched out to open a school in Ragama for the education and care of the deaf and blind. The school was headed by a Rev. Sister Blanda from Belgium. The volunteer Sisters were called ‘Perpetual Helpers’.
Enjoying Avurudu games. Pic by Hasitha Kulasekera
It was Fr. Majored who bought a plot of land at Ragama behind the Church of St Peter and Paul with donations from abroad in 1935 and with the help of the Sisters, the “St Joseph’s School for the Deaf and Blind” was launched. The school was housed in one large hall with half walls. Not receiving any aid from the Government they had to fend for themselves. As the students were mostly from very poor families, it was an uphill challenge to run the school.
To find the money for their daily needs the Sisters started a small farm and grew orchids which were sold to florists. They also organised “Flag Days” where they sold flags door to door to raise funds.
Sister Antoinette Perera was the first Sri Lankan Principal of the school and continued in the post till 2010. Today, the school’s current Principal Sister Sweeneetha Fernando explains that the nuns from Belgium were trained to educate the deaf and blind in a famous school called St. Michielgestel, in Holland before they embarked on their mission and they in turn imparted their knowledge to the local volunteers. The school in Holland sent most of the school’s hearing aids, and though second hand they were still usable, with students sharing them as there were not enough to go around.
In 1965 the medium of instruction was changed from English to Sinhala so that the children could communicate better with their parents. This led to the reduction in the number of blind students and in December the blind section was closed down.
In December 1983, the school was registered with the Ministry of Education. At that time there were five Sisters and six teachers on the staff. Staff salaries have since then, been paid by the Ministry.
Help has been forthcoming from kind donors. From 2000, a language development programme was initiated by HSBC and Jinasena and Co. has assisted the school in this programme. Caltex Co. and Dialog donated computers to the school and a computer literacy programme was initiated from grade three onwards. HSBC donated eight more computers for this purpose. A science lab had been functioning in a small way for the past 15 years and in 2010, Commercial Bank donated all the equipment and chemicals needed for a fully equipped science lab.
The school now has 200 students from Grade three till the G.C.E. A’level, with a staff of 28 trained teachers (including the Sisters and some past students of the school). Many students have sat for the G.C.E. O’level and G.C.E. A’level exams and passed with good results.
Sister Sweeneetha told the Sunday Times that due to their prayers to their patron Saint St. Joseph and with the Grace of God, that up to this day the children have not gone without a meal. At present there are 56 hostellers.
With the growth of the school come more needs. The roof urgently needs repair, the playground has to be redone, and the children require a place to have their meals. Those who wish to help the school are requested to contact Sister Fernando on 4016265. The bank account number of the school is People’s Bank, Ragama No: 316-2-001-4-0018458.
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