A bureaucratic hurdle has left four speech-impaired siblings in Kerala unable to secure formal admission records despite studying at a special school for three years. With no birth certificates or Aadhaar cards, the children risk losing access to education-related benefits, while their speech-impaired parents and school authorities continue to struggle to regularise their identity documents.

Kochi: Four speech-impaired siblings cannot speak, and the parents who hold them close share the same disability. Yet the children have just one silent plea: “Will you give us those documents? We want to go to school.” For Ameera, Salma, Ameer and Anas, who live at St Clare School for the Deaf in Manickamangalam, Ernakulam, the absence of official documents means losing the care and welfare benefits they are entitled to.

Without birth certificates or Aadhaar cards, the four children have been unable to be formally enrolled in the school's records despite living there for the past three years. Their speech-impaired father, Haja Moideen, and mother, Sharada, have repeatedly pleaded for help in obtaining their Aadhaar documents, leaving school authorities distressed and unsure how to resolve the issue.

Tamil Nadu native Haja Moideen and Pune native Sharada have been living in Kerala for several years. Sharada had left her home following a family dispute when she met Haja. Realising that they could support each other despite being unable to speak, the two got married. While sleeping at a railway station, a bag containing their clothes and identity documents was stolen.

Haja worked as a daily wage labourer after arriving in Kerala. Their eldest daughter, Ameera, was born in 2011, followed by Salma in 2015, Ameer in 2017 and Anas in 2021. All four children were also born with speech impairment, leaving the family living in complete silence.

Three years ago, Sharada was admitted to hospital after falling ill, leaving the children effectively without care. Moved by their plight at Kalamassery Medical College, Sister Abhaya, Principal of St Clare School for the Deaf in Manickamangalam, brought the children to the school.

Based on an estimate of their ages, Ameera was placed in Class 7, Salma in Class 4, Ameer in Class 3 and Anas in LKG. Excelling in both academics and extracurricular activities, all four children are now top performers in their respective classes.

The speech-impaired parents are unable to provide any information about their children's birth certificates. They attended a disability adalat at the Ernakulam Collectorate to obtain Aadhaar documents, but were told the process could proceed only after producing the birth certificates.

Despite trying every possible avenue, Sister Abhaya, who took responsibility for the children, says she has reached a dead end.

“When I look at these children, it breaks my heart. While the children stay at the school, their parents live in a single-room house nearby. Whatever they earn through daily wage work, they bring for their children. Yet, because of no fault of their own, these children are being denied education and the benefits they deserve. Which door should I knock on now to get their documents corrected?” she asked.