Guyana is teaming up with US-based deaf education specialists and volunteers to highlight the circumstances of the local deaf community and explore ways of boosting the quality of education and other services.
Deaf Awareness Week is being observed under the theme ‘Together we can. Together we will’. According to a press release the week of activities will include eight workshops which will be held at the Herdmanston Lodge in Queenstown when deaf persons and their families are expected to share their experiences with ministry officials, teachers, businesses and service clubs.
These workshops are also expected to discuss the quality of services provided for persons who are deaf and hard-of-hearing who contribute to and use services available in the society.
Opportunities for learning sign language, lip-reading and other skills that facilitate communication will be explored and other workshops will discuss deaf education in special schools, vocational and other training institutions. “Still others will focus on acknowledging the worth of deaf children; the value of early medical and audiology tests and promoting the involvement of deaf persons in arts, sports, cultural and other social activities,” the release said.
According to the release, the week of activities which will be held from September 26 to October 2, aims to en-hance relationships between Guyana’s deaf and hearing communities. Officials from the education, health and culture ministries and representatives from the National Commission on Disabilities, the Community Based Rehabilitation Pro-gramme, the Support Group for Deaf Persons and the Guyana Deaf Church have been invited to participate in the programme.
Several businesses including GT&T, Republic Bank, Scotiabank, John Fernandes Limited, Courts, Demerara Life Group of Companies and Ming’s Products and Services have so far pledged to support the programme. At the close of the activities a report will be prepared and distributed to parents and guardians of deaf children, deaf adults, special interest groups and the public.
