Deaf Sign Language Teachers Graduate for the First Time in Namibia

Deaf sign language teachers graduated for the first time in Namibia yesterday after a three month course which was held under the auspices of the Communications Centre for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired as well as ICEIDA. The Icelandic institutions work together on a three year development project which is called “The Signs Talk” in collaboration with educational authorities in Namibia.

In the course, Júlía G. Hreinsdóttir taught ten deaf students methods to teach sign language for people who hear. She also taught the grammar for sign language, the culture and the history of deaf people as well as teaching in kindergartens. Over a third of the course was vocational and the future sign language teachers had a go at teaching under Júlía’s guidance.

According to Vilhjálmur Wiium, ICEIDA’s Country Director, the new sign language teachers work in four institutions in Namibia. “At the graduation ceremony, these four institutions received textbooks on sign language but there is a shortage of teaching materials for the deaf in Namibia,” says Vilhjálmur. “The undersecretary for education in Namibia, Iita Vitalis Ankama, was present at the graduation and expressed great satisfaction with the effort that is taking place concerning education for the deaf in Namibia. There are over 18 thousand deaf people in the country and about half of that are under fifteen years of age. On the other hand, only between three and four hundred deaf people attend schools and therefore many deaf people do not receive any education. “You can do whatever you want,” were the final words in the undersecretary’s speech which is a clear message to the deaf,” says Vilhjálmur.

Next year, Júlía will visit Namibia twice and continue educating deaf sign language teachers. The Communications Centre will also send sign language teachers to Namibia since there is a shortage of such teachers there.