International Week of the Deaf: Deaf Teachers Dare Government On “Inclusion”

• Badagry Deaf Awareness Day was held to mark International week of the Deaf earlier this month
• The chairman called for more initiatives from Lagos state government toward improving the resources and opportunities of deaf learners in Badagry
• The programme want more inclusive policies from the governmental laws and policies that consider the accommodate the deaf as well
• However, the group faulted the effectiveness of inclusion and argued that it cannot work for the deaf in the classroom

BWADeaf, in conjunction with Badagry Local government on Wednesday, 6th December, held a program on Badagry Deaf Awareness Day to mark the United Nation International week of the Deaf.

In his welcome Address, the Chairman of BWADeaf, Comrade Kehinde Akewusola thanked His Excellency, Governor Akinwumi Ambode for his disability inclusive programme in Lagos state with recent official presentation of assistive devices, vehicles and empowerment grants to persons living with disabilities.

He continued by reinstating the need for Lagos State Government to employ more sign language interpreters into special schools and cater for the increasing number of Deaf youths in Badagry. He said “there is the need for government to employ more sign language interpreters into special education schools so that more deaf youths can go to schools,

They called for the erection of better-equipped Deaf schools at Badagry, mentioning the inadequacy of tools and equipment.

Kehinde continued by emphasizing the need for the government to provide better access to quality education, healthcare and employment without discrimination for deaf people.

Dr. Tola Odusanya, a Deaf lecturer at Federal College of Education, Special (Oyo) was represented by Mrs. Bernice Oyeleke. She presented paper on “full inclusion with sign language”. In her speech, she said “government should include the deaf in all programs regardless of their disability.” She added, “we have deaf people in high positions” while citing Dr. Tola as an example. She continued that “Deaf people deserve equal opportunity like everyone else”

Mrs. Bernice added that Deaf people should be motivated to participate in politics and other social activities like sports, education and should not be discriminated against.

Mrs. Bernice who is post-lingual Deaf and Masters graduate of university of Ibadan said “one of our human rights is right to communication but more often than not the deaf are excluded and as a result we miss out lot of information because of Deafness, our major limitation”. She continued “government pass information through television, radio and newspapers, I want media houses to provide sign language interpreters for Deaf during the news hours.” She added that sign language should be recognized and widely used across the society within all fields and professions.

Former Federal House of representative member, Hon. Samuel Sejoro advised parents to support their disabled children. He said “with the support of the parents, the children will be successful.” He used Lagos state as an example that the government is making life easier for people with disabilities in Lagos state. He added “just 2 or 3 months ago, the state government directed that 250 persons with disabilities will be employed that is inclusion and with time, the government will do much more in term of vocational training, employment and education for persons with disabilities.”

He continued “as parent, I will encourage the parents that are here today to work hard and train their disabled children.” “The sky is their limit” he quoted. “The man here, Sejoro Ekundayo has a website which you can see. He calls it “Inclusive News Network”. He has news website for disabled people. Very soon, it will grow into Television station built for everybody. This child gives them support for inclusion” he concluded.

Dr. Tola, however, disagrees with “inclusive education” as advocated by government saying “it leads to social exclusion of the Deaf”. He based his reason with his life story. Dr. Tola who is also the founder of Tola foundation added that “in school where all students are deaf, the best students will be deaf, the worse, the troublesome and the gentle students will all be deaf”.

South West Coordinator of Nigeria National Association of the Deaf, Mr. Sule Aderemi backed Dr. Tola, saying “the Deaf don’t need “inclusion” that everyone is talking about”. He added that the disabled people understand themselves and know where the shoe pinches. “we know our problems, we know where it hurts us, we know our needs but the inclusion government is talking about is the inclusion they think we need, not what we know we need” he said.

“until government sit us down, listen to our needs, know our problems and allow us to have a say on the way forward, this inclusion is nothing to us” he said. He continued “a society can never develop if it doesn’t give accesses to her disabled people”

Mr Sule who has been in the teaching profession at Abeokuta for more than 15 years emphasizes that many deaf students travel to other states to acquire education even though there are mainstream schools and inclusive units in Badagry. He argued, “The reason is because there are not enough teachers and interpreters to support their education. How is inclusion possible?”

He concluded by begging important people in Badagry to use their office to help Deaf students in Badagry

More pictures from the program