About Us

School for the deaf is a dream and vision of S D Joseph K. W. Thomas Kandathil. This school under the management of Assisi Sisters of Mary Immaculate (ASMI) is a Charitable Association registered under Travancore cochin Literary Scientific and Charitable Societies Registration act XII of 1955 with its headquarters at Assisi St. Joseph’s Provincialate, Golden Street Vaduthala, Kochi.

This residential school was started in 1968 with 13 deaf and 7 blind children. The Government of Kerala accorded temporary recognition for this school in 1970. Later permanent sanction by the government was received in 1975 for classes up to seventh standard and as an aided school. By 1975 the Number of Deaf and Blind students were increased to 113. Thus further Building for classes and hostel was essential. Thus the building was constructed and it was inaugurated by the Hon: Governor of Kerala, Smt. Jyothi Venkatachellem on 18th February 1978. To rehabilitate the adult deaf and Blind more vocational training courses were started in weaving ,cutting and tailoring. In 1983 this school was selected as “outstanding institute in India” and the national award for outstanding employer of handicapped persons” was awarded. His Excellency Gyani Zailsingh, the honorable president of India handed over the award to the Headmistress Sr.Gemma Francis.

In 1989 Govt. upgraded this school as a High school for deaf girls in unaided sector and standard VIII was started. The result of the first batch with 9 girls in 1992 was 100%. Later in 1995 the Kerala Govt. approved High School section as an aided one.

As the numbers of students were further increased, in 1993 the blind section was separated and shifted to Kalaketty in Kottayam district itself. In the academic year 1992-93 this institute completed 25 years of progressive service for the education and training of the Deaf and blind. Two of the teachers were honored with National Awards and four more were honored with State Awards. By 1995 the number of students were increased to 285.

Meantime a Pre school was started as a collaborative project of AYJNIHH ( Ali Yaver Jung National Institute for Hearing Handicapped ) Bandhra west, Mumbai. Preschool education of the deaf in the age of 3-5 will help the children to acquire language abilities like the hearing ones, in the early childhood. Besides this, guidance, counseling, and training to the parents of these small hearing impaired children is very much essential for the development of the child. Audiology testing and equipping the child with the hearing aids at preschool stage will make such children more respective to better education and speedy mental growth.

The Plus Two course was started in Neerpara special school in 2002 when there were no opportunities for further studies after the 10th standard and Assisi ITI for the deaf started on 2006. It is one of the best and first computer centers for the deaf in Kerala. In the academic year 2017-2018 this institute has completed 50 years of progress in the education and training of the Deaf.