Miss-Delectable
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The New Straits Times Online........
PETALING JAYA: There are only 15 sign language interpreters for the 30,000 deaf people in the country.
This is way off the optimum ratio of one interpreter for every 100 deaf persons recommended by the United Nations Educational and Cultural Organisation (Unesco).
Malaysia is also way behind Australia which boasts one interpreter for every 25 deaf people and Japan which follows the ratio prescribed by Unesco.
"Fifteen interpreters for 30,000 deaf citizens is a gross disparity," said MySL Training Centre director Sazali Abd Hamid during a visit by Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen to the centre yesterday.
Of the 15 interpreters, only five are equipped with advanced English, Bahasa Malaysia and sign language skills to communicate messages accurately.
Built using part of the RM12.1 million allocation given to the Malaysian Federation of the Deaf (MDF), the training centre is aimed at bridging the communication gap between the deaf and the hearing.
The premier Asean sign language interpreter training centre has 88 students but their diploma has yet to be recognised by the Malaysian Qualifications Ag-ency of the Higher Education Ministry.
MDF hopes to have 500 sign language interpreters by 2020 but this would need speedy accreditation of courses and government support.
Urging the government to employ interpreters for the deaf, Sazali said this would help to reduce costs and alleviate the educational woes faced by deaf students.
PETALING JAYA: There are only 15 sign language interpreters for the 30,000 deaf people in the country.
This is way off the optimum ratio of one interpreter for every 100 deaf persons recommended by the United Nations Educational and Cultural Organisation (Unesco).
Malaysia is also way behind Australia which boasts one interpreter for every 25 deaf people and Japan which follows the ratio prescribed by Unesco.
"Fifteen interpreters for 30,000 deaf citizens is a gross disparity," said MySL Training Centre director Sazali Abd Hamid during a visit by Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen to the centre yesterday.
Of the 15 interpreters, only five are equipped with advanced English, Bahasa Malaysia and sign language skills to communicate messages accurately.
Built using part of the RM12.1 million allocation given to the Malaysian Federation of the Deaf (MDF), the training centre is aimed at bridging the communication gap between the deaf and the hearing.
The premier Asean sign language interpreter training centre has 88 students but their diploma has yet to be recognised by the Malaysian Qualifications Ag-ency of the Higher Education Ministry.
MDF hopes to have 500 sign language interpreters by 2020 but this would need speedy accreditation of courses and government support.
Urging the government to employ interpreters for the deaf, Sazali said this would help to reduce costs and alleviate the educational woes faced by deaf students.