Stakeholders in deaf education have advocated for the inclusiveness of the deaf in Nigeria’s education system and in society at large.
The stakeholders who made this known at the end of the international conference held at Wesley University, Ondo, with the theme “Empowering the Deaf Learners in Inclusive Education” said there must be inclusive education for the deaf and that it must be guaranteed from the primary to the tertiary level.
In the communiqué issued at the end of the conference and signed by the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC), Prof. Mrs Ezeudu Florence, the stakeholders called for a new attitudinal disposition towards the deaf.
According to them, “this leaves much to be desired. Negative beliefs about the deaf and cultural barriers pertaining to the deaf should be done away with. This can be achieved through the creation of awareness by organisations and bodies that are in charge of matters concerning the deaf.”
“People should be aware that inclusive education is not a favour or choice but a right for the deaf, and inclusive education is an experience and not a placement.”
The conference stressed the need for the government to equip all schools so that inclusive education for the deaf can be possible, saying the deaf should be allowed to mix with the hearing in the same classrooms rather than putting them in different classrooms or even schools.
They also advocated that the deaf and Hard of Hearing (HoH) need to be given more opportunities for education through scholarships, while the deaf should also be given opportunities for employment and financial autonomy.
The stakeholders, however, advocated for family and societal support for the deaf, saying this is necessary to ensure that their aspirations are met.
The communique read: “There is a need for government and non-governmental organisations to engage in initiatives that require funding of projects for the benefit of the deaf so that their potentials can be fully tapped for their wellbeing and for the good of society.
“People, especially family members and society in general, should eschew negative nomenclature when referring to the Deaf or addressing them directly so that they are not stigmatised.
“The government should make plans for the training of more interpreters and the re-training of the trained ones from time to time in order to improve their skills.
“Government should be decisive about Inclusive Education by making sure that public schools are well equipped with gadgets, teaching aids, Deaf space and so on, instead of building separate schools or classrooms for the Deaf and HoH, to make it easier for such students to flow into mainstream society when they graduate. After all, there is one society of people with mixed abilities.
“Government can also enact policies that would create a more inclusive society for the Deaf. One of them could be making sign language a compulsory course in our institutions of learning.
“All teachers should be trained in the knowledge of and use of sign language. When this is accomplished, the Deaf will not need interpreters to move from one class to another.”
The conference that was held in collaboration with Gallaudet University USA, however, commended the Federal Government for signing into law the disability initiative.
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