As Mokokchung sees a rise in children with special needs, Soul House Academy paves the way

Despite challenges, the school is proving that inclusive education can work

Amidst persistent stigma and lack of awareness surrounding special needs education, Mokokchung is witnessing a notable rise in children requiring specialized support. At Soul House Academy, Mokokchung, an inclusive school led by Principal and Administrator Arenla Lemtur, the increase has been particularly striking. This year alone, 18 out of 263 enrolled students have been identified as children with special needs – a significant jump compared to the numbers from three years ago.

As the world observes World Autism Day today, we take a closer look at how the academy stands out for its commitment to inclusive education. Speaking to Mokokchung Times, Lemtur, who fondly refers to her classrooms as ‘Rainbow Classrooms,’ emphasized that inclusivity at her school extends to all types of learners—typical students, children with special needs, and those requiring even more specialized support.

“We have different kinds of learners—visual learners, auditory learners, some with intellectual disabilities, developmental delays, Dyslexia, Autism, Down syndrome. Our classrooms are as colorful as a rainbow,” she said.

However, running an inclusive school in Mokokchung has not been easy. Lemtur, driven by a vision to provide affordable, quality education with a hands-on learning approach, she sought to move away from the traditional “chalk and talk” teaching method. In 2016, she founded Tree House with just one nursery classroom. Over the years, the school expanded, eventually evolving into what is now Soul House Academy.

Lemtur recalls that in the early years, she did not categorize students—until her first encounter with children requiring special education. “I was only partially aware of special needs education.

My niece, who had a master’s degree in the field, introduced me to it. That year, we had a student whose learning patterns made us suspect they might require specialized support,” she shared.
At the time, there were no trained special education teachers at the school. “We didn’t know what to do, but with my niece’s guidance, we started engaging with parents who were very forthcoming,” she said.

The biggest challenge was finding trained teachers. “It wasn’t just about children with diagnosed special needs; many students struggled with lessons in their own way. For a year and a half, we relied on self-learning—reading from Google, watching YouTube videos. The teachers and I would sit together and discuss strategies. Somehow, the children managed, but we knew we weren’t doing everything we were supposed to,” she admitted.

Determined to improve, Lemtur eventually partnered with her niece’s Keystone Foundation Education in Dimapur. “She provided us with a visiting specialist teacher who began one-on-one therapy sessions,” she said.

Recognizing the need for specialized training, Lemtur later sent two of her teachers to Delhi for professional training at the Action for Autism institute. The two teachers continue to work with her to this day.

At Soul House Academy, classrooms function just like any other, Lemtur explained. “We base our teaching on equity, not just equality. An inclusive classroom cannot follow a one-size-fits-all approach. While we provide the same lesson plan and use the same language, we also make accommodations—like adjusting seating arrangements to help students focus better or modifying teaching strategies to meet different learning needs.”

She emphasized that lesson planning is tailored to cater to all students, including those with special needs and Special Learning Disabilities (SLD). “We ensure that our lessons cater not only to smart students but also to those with diverse learning needs and SLD.”

On parental awareness of their children’s condition, Lemtur observed, “I feel that many parents have their suspicions, but they hesitate to acknowledge it.” However, through interventions and consultative meetings, the school, parents, and special education teachers collaborate to assess children. “If needed, we refer them to Dimapur for a formal diagnosis, as Mokokchung does not have experts to provide one,” she said.

But according to Lemtur, convincing parents is not the biggest challenge—it is persuading relatives, especially the older generation. “Words like autism or Down syndrome don’t exist in our vocabulary. So, they’ll say, ‘My brother’s son or daughter isn’t normal. Can they be cured? When will they recover?’ At that time, because I don’t have the diploma or the degree, I don’t know how to explain the medical aspect of it and tell them that it is just a neurological condition”.

Lemtur believes that in a town like Mokokchung, the Church can play a pivotal role in spreading awareness. “The Church has influence, and I hope they will step up—use their platforms, invite resource persons, and initiate discussions on special needs education,” she said.

Beyond that, she hopes that more schools will embrace inclusivity, even if they do not formally label themselves as special schools. “Every school should have at least one specially trained teacher. I wish school proprietors and management in Mokokchung would take this issue seriously,” she emphasized.

Finally, Lemtur pointed out that modern technology offers new opportunities to bridge the gap in awareness. “We are in the 21st century. We have so many resources and so much information at our fingertips. We need to use them to create more awareness.”

Giving full credit to her team of 40 staff members, including 27 educators where three of them are specially trained educators, Lemtur said, “I am really proud of my educators because they can effortlessly start identifying the different types of learners in the classroom. They are truly compassionate, and on days when I feel down, they are the ones who inspire me.”

Speaking about her hopes for Soul House Academy’s future, she said, “We have a wonderful curriculum built on the 5Cs and 1E—Critical thinking, Communication, Collaboration, Creativity, Compassion, and Empathy. This curriculum encourages teachers to think, and when teachers think, students think. I would love to continue in this manner,” she said, adding, “We are not a perfect school, but that does not deter us from doing what we love.”

As part of its growth, Soul House Academy continues to expand. Every year, the school adds one grade level. Currently, it operates across two campuses—its old campus at Tongdentsüyong Ward for the KG section and Grade 1, and its new extension in Chuchuyimpang village below FAC, which now accommodates students from Grade 2 to Grade 7.

MT