Mogae advocates exclusive schools for the deaf

Boniface Keakabetse | Monday September 28, 2015 15:36

He was speaking during the Botswana Society for the Deaf (BSD) awareness week at the Maun Sports Complex. The day was held under the theme: “Enough said, but none heard”.

Mogae said a situation where deaf students are studying side-by-side their peers who do not have disabilities is not right as it inconveniences students with disabilities. He was referring to the Revised National Policy on Education of 1994 which made it mandatory for children with special needs to be integrated with their peers to prepare them for future social integration. He said there is a need for funding for the schools for the deaf.

Mogae said there is still more to be done to improve the living conditions for the deaf community. Mogae, who is the patron of BSD, outlined problems in the communications and the education sectors which inconvenience the deaf community. 

The former president also slammed the signers at the Botswana national television, Btv, saying they use a sign language which is not understandable to the deaf community. He said the sign language they use may be foreign adding that there is a need to develop a local sign language well understood by the local deaf community. Mogae also said in future government should consider hiring people who can communicate in sign language at critical government departments such as the district commissioners’ offices and the police to ensure that government policies and programmes are communicated in a way understood by the deaf community.

Maun East Member of Parliament, Kosta Markus, said even though there are still challenges, government is working hard to better the lives of the deaf community. However he acknowledged that there is room for improvement in introducing sign language in schools and at other community gatherings. Markus challenged all churches in Botswana to conduct their sermons also in sign language as a way of empowering the deaf community.