Esen Booronbaev, the grandfather of two students, noted: "Parents gathered because they want to relocate us to Chon-Aryk. We came to a unanimous opinion about the need to keep the school in its current location."
Promises of Renewal and Rumors of Relocation
In Kyrgyzstan, there are only two schools for blind children: one in Bishkek and the other in Osh. The Bishkek boarding school has been operating since 1939 and is in need of renovation. Currently, it educates more than 200 children, many of whom live there permanently.In September of this year, high-ranking officials visited the school, including the chairman of the cabinet, Adylbek Kasymaliev, who instructed to begin preparatory work for the construction of a new modern boarding school.
However, rumors soon emerged that the new building would be constructed in Chon-Aryk. Parents express dissatisfaction as the director of the institution does not answer their questions, and they themselves are convinced that the government is making the decision.
Parents are asking not to relocate the boarding school for the blind from Bishkek.
Reasons for Parents' Discontent
Many families express dissatisfaction as they do not see well-thought-out solutions for logistics.Nuriya Kurmanalieva, one of the mothers, notes: "It takes one to two hours to get here from the neighborhoods. For parents from Kara-Balta, it is now easier and cheaper to travel by train. How are we all supposed to get to Chon-Aryk?"
According to the parents, many of them moved to this area to be closer to the school.
Kurmanalieva adds: "Some specifically bought apartments when their children were still in kindergarten, so they could later enroll them in this school. We do not have the same choices as parents of healthy children."
People have adapted their lives to this place. What are they supposed to do now? Look for housing again, but already in Vorontsovka?
Parents are asking not to relocate the boarding school for the blind from Bishkek.
Meerim Abdurakhmanova, a mother of five children, shares that for the sake of her son, who is blind, she sold her house and bought an apartment closer to the school.
She says: "We moved here when my son lost his sight. We live with five children in a three-room apartment for his education. If the school is relocated, I will have to sell my home again and look for a new one in another area. We want the school to stay in its place."
Not only residents of Bishkek moved for the boarding school.
Datkayim Sadykova, the guardian of her blind grandson, recounts: "After my son passed away, I became the guardian of my grandson. We sold our house in Jalal-Abad and moved to Bishkek to provide him with an education. We hope for his future."
Datkayim Sadykova, grandmother and guardian of one of the students at the boarding school.
Elmira Seyitbekova, whose daughter was born prematurely and has vision problems, shared: "We moved from Russia, where my daughter also attended a kindergarten for the visually impaired. She was born at six months weighing 900 grams. We have no other choice but this school in Bishkek and one in Osh."
Parents are asking to build a new building on the current territory of the educational institution.
Datkayim Sadykova appealed to the government: "These are the most vulnerable children. We ask to keep the school in this location for their future."
