Brighter future for deaf pupils

Dar es Salaam. John Mkulima, 18, and Zaina Hemed, 17, are respectively  Standard Six and Seven  pupils at the Buguruni Deaf School in Dar es Salaam. They suffer from hearing disorder but are among top students there.

I met them when their school was receiving some computers from a government-run project Universal Communication Access Fund (UCSAF) and a satellite dish by Avant Communication Tanzania a week ago.

They were very excited to receive the equipment, because  they facilitate easier learning  and communication for them.

Mkulima  said that he loves being in front of the computer since he cannot hear,  and can thus chat with his friends and relatives, but it enables him  to keep track of his favourite science subjects, by seeing pictures and explanations that are  essentially difficult to understand.

“We  see pictures from the internet and explanations about many things related to various subjects and that  enhances my grasp, and furthermore,  I play various games as a recreational outlet. Since people in my situation can’t talk to many people,  games become my friend,” he said.

Ms Hemed says through the computer,  she learns more especially her favourite English language subject because pronouncing English language is easier when you see someone speak  it by using sign language.

“I chat with my friends in Europe because sending letters takes long, and since I cannot speak, chatting makes communication easier, is instant, is fun and cheap. So, I spend a lot of my spare time in front of the computer. If I am not learning then I am chatting with my family and friends,” she said.

Visual learning is important for  people with hearing disability

Idd Fussi,  an English teacher at the Buguruni Deaf School, says one of the  challenges that students with special needs are facing is that they use  curriculum used by other students.

He says special needs students tend to forget easily. “That is  why having new advanced facilities for them is most vital; these are very bright but the kind of learning they are passing through makes it  very difficult for majority of them to move forward,” he said.

The teacher added that the school has a number of students who passed national Standard Seven exams and continued to higher levels; but if they could use special facilities to be taught with, more and more could make it.

“For example, it is difficult to explain to them what a  gold mine is,  but through pictures or videos it makes it easy for them to understand and to remember,” he added.

He added that letting them spend some time playing  games stimulates  their brains and makes them active.

“So what we normally teach them is general computer application and as they move on they learn more and more including learning some subjects using youtube clips,” he said.

 “We started using computers at our school in 2011 and it is the subject that my students love the most, because it facilitates a lot of things in their learning process.

“So we usually try to seek sponsorship from the government and private institutions, because through internet, students feel  they are connected and keeping abreast of  current world of science and technology trends,” she said.

She pointed out, however, that the school faces several challenges, especially the scarcity of teachers with computer skills, thus overwhelming the few available ones.

“Our computer room is also of low standard and that makes  it hard to keep  the facilities in good condition,” she said.

Ms Jeremiah pleaded  with the  government and private institutions to sponsor her school with more facilities including reliable power, through installation of a solar facility.

At the  handing over ceremony last week, the deputy permanent secretary in  the Ministry of Communication, Science and Technology, Dr John Mndogo, urged teachers  to also sieze the chance to widen the knowledge on science and technology.

The Avant Chief Executive, Mr David William, whose company donated a satellite internet dish,  said he hoped  that all students would access the facility and benefit immensely.

The project is expected to benefit about 25 special needs schools in Tanzania.