Ida Rieu School

The Ida Rieu School for blind, deaf, dumb and children with other disabilities was founded in 1923 in Karachi, Pakistan.[1] It was named after Ida Augusta Rieu, wife of the Commissioner of Sindh, J.L.Rieu.[2]

Ida Rieu not only has a school for people with disabilities; but, also has a hostel, a college, and an old persons' home.

The Governor of Sindh Ishrat-ul-Ibad Khan lauded the services rendered by the Ida Rieu Poor Welfare Association's School for Deaf and Blind over the past 80 years.

A large number of philanthropists support the school, which not only provides educational facilities but also imparts vocational training to the handicapped students.[3]

In 2006, five students, including four women, gained admission to the master's degree programme at the Ida Rieu College for the blind and the deaf. This is the first time that the institution had introduced a masters' level programme under the arts faculty at the University of Karachi.

On average 12–16 students from Ida Rieu, including women, sit in the HSC exams; while another 10 or more, in the degree level exams. Some of the school's students have also earned top positions in the examinations. Qudsia Khan is the principal of the school.[4]

In 2007, the blind students of Ida Rieu School achieved brilliant results in the Matriculation Examination. Ten blind girl students appeared, out of which three obtained first division and one the first class first position. Amongst the boys, nine appeared and three obtained first division. The overall result of both was 100 per cent.[5] In 2008 there were over 900 blind and deaf students at the institution.

In partnership with the Royal National Institute of Blind People, London, UK, it has undertaken to provide the latest modified gadgets to allow the inclusion into information society i.e., Braille keyboards, screens, voice activated devices, special videos and toys that promoted learning for children with varying degrees of blindness.[6]