“Don’t speak too loudly.” That’s a tip someone might give before visiting Fukuoka Prefectural Fukuoka Special Needs Education School for the Visually Impaired. It seems strange but it is good advice. People are tempted to yell when trying to be understood by someone with an impairment.
Fukuoka Prefectural Fukuoka Special Needs Education School is located in Tsukushi, Fukuoka Prefecture. This school supports students with visual impairments. It offers education from kindergarten to high school levels. The school aims to help students become independent and integrate into society.
Founded in 1910 as a private school in Fukuoka City, it was called the Fukuoka School for the Blind. In 1924, it became a prefectural school and was renamed Fukuoka Prefectural School for the Blind. Later, in 1931, a new school opened in Akami.
Over the years, Fukuoka Prefectural Fukuoka Special Needs Education School has adapted to educational reforms. In 1948, the elementary and middle school departments were renamed. A high school department was established.
The school received accreditation for training specialists. These included massage therapists, acupuncturists and physical therapists. By 1957, the school published its regulations. The Fukuoka School for the Blind Scholarship Association formed in 1960. Later in 1964, the Fukuoka School for the Blind Support Association was established. These two associations merged in 1967.
In 1973, the high school curriculum expanded to include general, health and physical therapy courses. A kindergarten department for five-year-olds was added in 1975. In 1978, the school moved to its current location in Chikushino City. A swimming pool was completed in 1981.
In 1990, the school added a life skills course to the high school department. The school celebrated its 85th anniversary in 1995. Fukuoka Prefectural Fukuoka Special Needs Education School underwent more changes. A new high school for the blind opened on the same site in 1996. The high school department was fully transferred to the new school by 1998.
Elevators were installed in 2000. The advanced course in the high school department closed in 2001. A herb garden was completed in 2002. A biotope was created in 2005.
In 2010, the school changed its name to Fukuoka Prefectural Fukuoka Special Needs Education School for the Visually Impaired. The school celebrated its 100th anniversary. The Fukuoka Prefectural Board of Education designated the school for priority research.
The school continues to evolve. It held the Kyushu Regional School for the Blind Education Research Conference in 2017. In 2019, the school celebrated its 110th anniversary.
The nearest stations are Tenpaizan Station and Asakura街道 Station. The school is accessible by Nishitetsu bus. The nearest bus stop is “Visual Impairment Special Support School Mae”.
Fukuoka Prefectural Fukuoka Special Needs Education School has a rich history. It continues to provide vital support. It gives visually impaired students education and opportunities.