Boarding Training School of Viliam Gaňa in Banská Bystrica, (hereinafter BTS, only) I one of the 26 training schools in the Slovak Republic where is provided professional training to more than 3,000 apprentices with special educational needs. In the Banská Bystrica Regional are 4 similar schools and BTS is the biggest.

School provides education to 140 apprentices with mental handicap who differs in their handicaps degree and also their behaviour. They demand specific, individual approach.

The highly educated experts with necessary education in pedagogy and special pedagogy provide education to apprentices. They give them necessary knowledge, skills, they help them to overcome or compensate disorders of their psychical functions, they support their further psychical development and they help apprentices to become complete members of family and society.

The BTS prepares its apprentices in 6 occupations as are: bricklayer, care taking, gardening, cooking, handicraft woodwork, underwear sewing with traditional handicraft techniques of folk arts.

Two last named occupations are new and in Slovakia, they are opened only in our school. One of them it is a handicraft woodwork. The experimental verification of this training program we have completed in 2002. Another new occupation is underwear sewing enlarged with traditional handicraft techniques of folk art; the verification of this training program has started in school year 2003/2004.

The duration of training is 3 years and it ends with job introducing certificate, practice certificate or with the certificate of apprenticeship. In enrol procedure we accept pupils who have completed 9th exam o the special basic school or pupils who have completed their obligatory school attendance in normal basic schools but in special classes with modified curriculum.

Boarding Training School of Viliam Gaňa has created, after 15 years existence in bad conditions, beautiful premise, gym and big school canteen.

The BTS history is short, but events in last years have written school history and they are also moral recognition of all school employees.

In year 2001 the BTS has moved into new premise in 17 Moskovská Street in Banská Bystrica.

In the same year the school has involved into the project "INFOVEK" and since May 2001 it has had also computer classroom with Internet connection. Since this period exist Internet presentation of school with address http://www.oumosbb.sk where are basic facts about school, boarding house, there is also a map and other useful information.

In 2002 we have completed building of small gym and we have celebrated 15th school anniversary. On the occasion the Minister of education has visited school has awarded courtesy title: Training School of Viliam Gaňa- Banská Bystrica

Our school was first training school awarded with this courtesy title. One year later the Head of Banská Bystrica Regional office handed in the Headmaster of the school memorial tablet "For the Development of Banská Bystrica Region".

The school has it own school magazine "Školské ucho" (School Ear) for more years. The apprentices contribute to the magazine with their literal work, crosswords, and drawings; there is also help line and music corner ("Music instead the school bell").

The BTS organizes together with apprentices the ceremonial "dubbing" new apprentices the member of apprentice fraternity. The aim of this ceremony is to show the new apprentices, that they are the same students as in the other school and that their training is not only a work but also a fun. School organizes various competitions, Christmas parties, carnival and so on.

The BTS offers to its apprentices also wide range of extracurricular activities and possibility how to efficiently use free time in sport, computer, music, dramatic club, in section of art arranging, cooking, woodcraft and production of things from dried flowers.

The surroundings of the school, nature and near hill "Suchý vrch" offer possibilities for tourism, walking, and outdoor activities and also for non-traditional forms of education.

The main aim of the Boarding Training School of Viliam Gaňa in Banská Bystrica is to prepare student with special educational needs from the occupational aspect of integration to the society, to live happy and meaningful life with respect to the values of the society and to learn him work and live independently in the framework of personal possibilities.