Central Equatoria state to train teachers in sign language

Mr. Luate William Alex, Director General at the State Ministry of Education speaks to reporters during a press conference on Tuesday [Photo: Awan Achiek]

By Awan Achiek

The Central Equatoria State Ministry of General Education and Instruction on Tuesday said it plans to train teachers in sign language in a bid to handle learners with hearing impairment.

The Director General for the State Ministry of General Education and Instruction, Luate William Alex said that sign language will help bridge the gap between people with hearing impairment and other members of the public.

“We plan to also let teachers have access and in my school, we used to have lessons in sign languages,” William told journalists during a press conference held in Juba.

He said that they would create a ramp and introduce braille for learners with impairment.

“We have to create a ramp and two we will have to introduce braille. Braille is for people with visual impairment,”  William said.

William said that they have already identified one teacher who will train other teachers in sign language to help educate people with special needs.

 “I have identified one teacher who helped us in Juba Technical during the examination there, she learned it through the missionary and she is very brilliant. She is the one interpreting the exams to people with disabilities so that they can understand what is written,” he said.

He disclosed that education will be inclusive to people living with disabilities.

“The group with people with disabilities with hearing or visual impairment, she tried to help them to understand and interpret which many teachers don’t have,” William said.

The Executive Director for the National Deaf Youth, Josephine Kiden last year in an interview with this newspaper said that people with special needs face discrimination in education.

Kiden urged the government to recruit and train teachers in sign language to help educate people with special needs.