The School for Visually Impaired Children and Youth "Dimitar Vlahov"

 

The School for Visually Impaired Children and Youth "Dimitar Vlahov" is the only institution in the entire country where primary and secondary vocational education of visually impaired students is conducted.

The School for Rehabilitation of Visually Impaired Children and Youth has existed for 60 years. Its task and goal is to educate and rehabilitate visually impaired children and young people to the point of independence for professional and personal life. The ultimate goal is the integration of these children in all spheres of social life and action. All this is achieved through the monitoring of primary and secondary vocational education. The methods used are tailored to the needs arising from the psychophysical abilities of children and young people. These include blind, partially sighted, and children with combined disabilities.

We are a school that nurtures mutual respect, equality, security, motivation and ethnic tolerance.

Our main accent is:

·        to ensure quality education of students, using modern methods and forms of work (group and team work, research, active learning ...) which encourages the development of general culture;

·        to encourage individuality among students and teachers;

·        to prepare students for lifelong learning;

·        to encourage and enable continuous professional development of employees;

·       to support and encourage teachers to improve teaching planning, with open communication we have created a warm and safe environment for the growth and development of students, we learn and help each other, appreciating the individual abilities of all students.

 In addition, the school has a student dormitory that satisfies the capacity of about 90 beds and accommodates visual imapired students, as well as students from regular high schools who come from inside, thus ,,Dimitar Vlahov,, promotes social inclusion, overcoming prejudice and discrimination, spreading of equal values. The school employs 7 special educators, 4 specialized teachers only for visual impaired students, 2 psychologists, 20 subject teachers, medical, technical and administrative staff.

The school cooperates with many institutions within the country, but also outside its borders.

PRIMARY SCHOOL:

·                 9 years education (age from 6 to 14);

·                 Employers: special educators, teacher for different subject with qualifications or working with visual impaired student;

·                 Same curriculum as in regular schools;

·                 Different didactical materials (Braille machine, paper, math box, etc);

·                 Maximum 6 students in one grade ;

·                 Classes for orientation and mobility in macro and micro space.

SECONDARY VOCATIONAL SCHOOL :

·                 3 or 4 year education depend  from the type of vocation (age from 14 to 17/18);

·        Employers: teacher for different subject with qualifications or working with visual impaired student;

·                 Three vocations: graphic, communication, medical;

·                 Same curriculum as in regular vocational schools;

·                 Different didactical materials (Braille machine, paper, math box, etc);

·                 Maximum 6 students in one class.

ELEMENTARY MUSIC SCHOOL:

·                 Individual approach from 7 years until 14;

·                 Talented students learn theory of music, and how to play musical instruments: piano, accordion and clarinet. More gifted students could practice two instruments.