AID: The construction of a two-storied girls’ hostel for the Wangsel Institute, the special education unit for hearing-impaired children in Paro will increase girls’ enrolment in the institute.

A project agreement to construct the girls’ hostel was signed between the government and Pro Bhutan, Germany Association at the Ministry of Education’s conference hall yesterday.

The hostel will have a room for a matron attached and will accommodate about 35 hearing-impaired girls.

The construction, estimated to cost Nu 14.73 million (M) will begin from next year and is expected to complete in 2017. The hostel will be built in traditional style.

Pro Bhutan Association financed the construction of seven buildings that include an administrative, academic and vocational block, and three hostels, excluding the girls’ second hostel.

Wangsel Institute’s principal, Kunzang Drukpa said that the construction of another girl’s hostel will ease over-crowding of girls staying in the only hostel and improve their health and sanitation as well. Currently the institute has 28 girls and 38 boys staying in hostels.

“The infrastructures build under Pro Bhutan’s project has enabled learning environment for hearing-impaired students,” Kunzang Drukpa said. “It also provided a platform for developing deaf community, culture and language.”

Of the total 82 students, the institute has 49 boys and 33 girls studying in classes from pre-primary to class VIII.

The Pro Bhutan, Germany Association is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) composed of private German citizens.

Among a number of initiatives to improve health and social well being of the Bhutanese, the association financed the construction of infrastructure in the country including infrastructure for the hearing- and visually-impaired children at Wangsel Institute in Paro and at Muenselling Institute in Khaling.

Since 1993 to 2016, the association spent nearly Nu 300M in projects in Bhutan.

Dechen Tshomo

Advertisement