Miss-Delectable
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http://www.mmegi.bw/index.php?sid=1&aid=1121&dir=2011/February/Monday21
Ramotswa Centre for the Deaf has appealed to government to re-view the syllabus in consideration of those with hearing impairment, as the current one for the 10-year basic education does not benefit these pupils.
Speaking at the handing over of classrooms by First National Bank Botswana to Ramotswa Centre for the Deaf on Wednesday, Deputy School Head, Olivia Mosaanana revealed that the pass rate is poor and pupils proceed to junior school with Ds and Es as the current primary school curriculum does not favour them.
She said that the syllabus contains material for people with hearing and listening capabilities, which is a great challenge to pupils with hearing impairment.
Mosaanana revealed that in their institution they only use the mode of 'total communication,' which involves use of gestures, body parts and sign language.
"So it is very difficult for our pupils because they sit for the same examination as pupils who do not have any disabilities.
This is a serious restraint in their development," she said.
However, she revealed that pupils excel in hands on work like woodwork and brick laying. She appealed to the government to accredit the hearing impaired pupils in areas that they excel in.
"Hands on work is easy for them compared to work with lots of wording because you just demonstrate and they follow suit.
We therefore request that these pupils be accredited in those areas because it might be a prerequisite somewhere and might benefit them," she said.
Member of Parliament for South East South, Odirile Motlhale also expressed frustration with the system saying that the government is failing the pupils since nothing has been put in place for them to excel in.
"Government should provide for the hearing impaired pupils for them to be in a position to benefit from the forced education. Otherwise we cannot say pupils failed if we did not provide everything they needed to pass like all the other pupils. These kids are not failing, we are the ones who are failing them," he said.
Monica Nkwe, Senior Teacher for Guidance and Counselling also revealed that the centre is faced with other challenges like lack of specialised teachers. She said that they continue to lose specialised teachers through promotions and transfers, which puts the remaining ones under pressure. "It takes too long to get specialised teachers so we are understaffed," she said.
She said that there is serious shortage of resources relevant for pupils' impairment as pupils need to learn colours, which is currently difficult as their printer only prints in back and white.
"How do we teach them colour and signs if they cannot see it?" she said. Nkwe said that there is also lack of sign language resource books, which are very critical in the pupils learning. "Our pupils therefore continue to fail because even the syllabus is not modified for them," she said. The centre has 193 pupils.
Ramotswa Centre for the Deaf has appealed to government to re-view the syllabus in consideration of those with hearing impairment, as the current one for the 10-year basic education does not benefit these pupils.
Speaking at the handing over of classrooms by First National Bank Botswana to Ramotswa Centre for the Deaf on Wednesday, Deputy School Head, Olivia Mosaanana revealed that the pass rate is poor and pupils proceed to junior school with Ds and Es as the current primary school curriculum does not favour them.
She said that the syllabus contains material for people with hearing and listening capabilities, which is a great challenge to pupils with hearing impairment.
Mosaanana revealed that in their institution they only use the mode of 'total communication,' which involves use of gestures, body parts and sign language.
"So it is very difficult for our pupils because they sit for the same examination as pupils who do not have any disabilities.
This is a serious restraint in their development," she said.
However, she revealed that pupils excel in hands on work like woodwork and brick laying. She appealed to the government to accredit the hearing impaired pupils in areas that they excel in.
"Hands on work is easy for them compared to work with lots of wording because you just demonstrate and they follow suit.
We therefore request that these pupils be accredited in those areas because it might be a prerequisite somewhere and might benefit them," she said.
Member of Parliament for South East South, Odirile Motlhale also expressed frustration with the system saying that the government is failing the pupils since nothing has been put in place for them to excel in.
"Government should provide for the hearing impaired pupils for them to be in a position to benefit from the forced education. Otherwise we cannot say pupils failed if we did not provide everything they needed to pass like all the other pupils. These kids are not failing, we are the ones who are failing them," he said.
Monica Nkwe, Senior Teacher for Guidance and Counselling also revealed that the centre is faced with other challenges like lack of specialised teachers. She said that they continue to lose specialised teachers through promotions and transfers, which puts the remaining ones under pressure. "It takes too long to get specialised teachers so we are understaffed," she said.
She said that there is serious shortage of resources relevant for pupils' impairment as pupils need to learn colours, which is currently difficult as their printer only prints in back and white.
"How do we teach them colour and signs if they cannot see it?" she said. Nkwe said that there is also lack of sign language resource books, which are very critical in the pupils learning. "Our pupils therefore continue to fail because even the syllabus is not modified for them," she said. The centre has 193 pupils.