Experts in Sign language in the University of Calabar have advocated for the inclusion of sign language in Nigeria’s education curriculum from primary to tertiary level to guarantee inclusive education at all levels in the country.
They made this known at the Chinua Achebe Arts Theatre in the University of Calabar during an event to mark this year’s International Week of the Deaf.
The event which was tagged: Public Awareness of Ability in Disability is the inaugural edition of the Annual Disability Awareness Programme and organized by the UNICAL Chapter of the Nigerian Universities Deaf Students Association and National Association of Special Education Students.
The event also is the commemorating the second anniversary of the International Day of Sign Language with the core aim of raising awareness of the importance of sign languages and strengthen its status worldwide.
Speaking during the event, the Head, Department of Special Education in the University, Josephine Nanjwan, said sign language is a language like any other and its inclusion in the nation’s education curriculum will guarantee inclusiveness and ensure that those who have hearing challenges are not left behind.
“Sign language is a language like any other language and those who have hearing impairment that can result in not hearing what another person is saying have their own language and these people are also important in the society.
“We should make sign language part of the curriculum right from primary school so that these people will not be left behind and can function effectively in the society. So based on this sign language should be put in every curriculum starting from the primary, secondary and higher institutions.
“When we are talking about inclusive education that has to do with education of those that have one challenge and those that don’t have challenges so as to create an inclusive society. Also when we are talking about togetherness, those that don’t understand sign language cannot communicate with those who have difficulties in hearing because communication is their problem that is the reason that we believe that sign language should be included in all our curriculum”, Nanjwan said.
She said communication is what makes human beings what they are and it is very critical that people are not excluded from the educational system as well as other aspects of the society because they have hearing impairment.
Also speaking, Godwin Irokaba, a senior lecturer in the university President Buhari for assenting to the disability bill and called on the Federal Ministry of Education to make sign language a national language as is the case in other nations.
He said that discriminating against deaf people is tantamount to disabling them and we cannot have a just and egalitarian society of a segment of the population is discriminated against.
“While I will like to commend the leadership of President Mohammadu Buhari for signing the Disability Bill into law in Nigeria, I will like to call upon the Federal Ministry of Education to make sign language a national language as is the case in other countries.
“Sign Language should be included in the national curriculum and studied as an elective course in Junior Secondary Schools. Also Departments of Linguistics and Modern Language should offer elective courses in sign languages.
“This way, the doctrine of inclusion – educational and social will be attained and we will have a society who sees deaf and other disabled people as an integral part of the system.
“Give deaf people equal rights and opportunities and they will excel. Discriminate against them and you will be disabling them. Legally, discrimination is a crime against humanity and should be resisted. We cannot have a just and egalitarian society if a segment of the population is discriminated against”, Irokaba said.
In an address, Okoroafor Gideon, the President of Nigerian University Deaf Students Association (NUDSA), Unical Chapter said the disability awareness programme was poised at educating the general public about the potentials inherent in persons with disabilities.
He said with the current trend of inclusive education, all schools should be made inclusive wherever possible and the environment should be made disability friendly.
He added that “there is a clarion call for the Nigerian society to embrace sign language in all aspects to ensure adequate and appropriate inclusion of persons with disabilities in general and persons with hearing impairment in particular”.
The event was equally organised with the core aim of raising awareness of the importance of sign languages and strengthen its status.
MIKE ABANG, Calabar
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