The Mirror’s investigations reveal that students of the centre have been home since May last year because the centre needs serious renovation, without which it cannot function.

The dormitory leaks when it rains, the roofing system is in poor condition, while the windows are broken.

Again, while some of the training rooms do not have electricity as a result of unpaid bills, the rooms that have been converted into sleeping spaces for the students too leak.

In all 14 females share a room while 35 males share another room

Closure

The management of the centre confirmed the closure to The Mirror, stressing that the centre, which offers training in dressmaking, carpentry, weaving, leather works, bead-making, among others, for the deaf, blind and other persons with physical disabilities, had not seen any major renovation since its establishment in 1962.

It also said the students were at the centre in October last year to press for the reopening because they were tired of being home but the management could not keep them and eventually had to let them go back home.

The students are both young and old, especially the physically challenged children of school age.

The Manager of the centre, Mr Churchill Darlington, told The Mirror in an interview that management decided to close the centre because it was becoming increasingly expensive to do renovation works and buy tools to facilitate teaching and learning.

Besides, he said, feeding grants had been left on the shoulders of management, with little support from the government.

Challenges

According to Mr Darlington, the centre had a population of 49 students, with 101 more applicants awaiting management’s decision to determine their fate for admission, but it had delayed the admission process because of the centre’s current state.

“We have a challenge in keeping the students, as we seek assistance to renovate the place and also complete the dormitory.

It is even difficult to constantly feed them and also equip our workshop to enhance