The Kenya Society for the Deaf now wants the government to include Kenya Sign Language in the school syllabus to enable all learners to understand it.
According to the society’s chairman, Francis Ng’ang’a, the move will enable the learners to communicate with the deaf and also open more employment opportunities for persons with disabilities.
Ng’ang’a is of the view that sign language should be made the third national language after Kiswahili and English.
“Very soon we are going to lobby and ask the government to introduce Kenya sign language to all our schools so that all Kenyans can be able to communicate with the deaf community and make it the third national language,” he said.
Speaking at the Pwani Secondary School for the Deaf in Kilifi Town while donating assorted food to aid the students, he appealed to parents of deaf children to take them to the nearest schools for the deaf instead of keeping them in their homes and seeking financial assistance from society.
“Anyone with financial problems, let them come to our society headquarters, we shall give them money and facilities to make these children be in school,” he said.
Ng’ang’a at the same time urged the National and County Governments to employ the Deaf who apply for jobs in various departments, saying that it had been proven that deaf people were also productive.
Meanwhile, the Kenya Society For Deaf Children is calling on the National government to protect Pwani secondary school for the Deaf, from land grabbers.
This is after it emerged that land belonging to the Pwani Secondary School for the Deaf that has 136 learners had been grabbed by a private developer despite the school having a title deed for the 18 acres and an allotment later for another 12 acres.
“This land belongs to the society and we are warning them to stop because we shall take action,” he said.
The society is also planning to put up a university for deaf students to enable them to learn in an environment that is fit for them.