Government must introduce sign language

MDC-T national secretary for people with disabilities and special needs, Denis Mudzingwa has urged the government to make brail and sign language compulsory at schools as a solution to current communication constraints between people with disabilities and the rest of the populace.

In an exclusive interview with the Mirror, the MDC-T national executive member said the challenges faced by people with disabilities have been overlooked since independence and time has come to put a closure to this sad scenario.

"We have United College of Education in Bulawayo which is training teachers on special education. If the government can make Portuguese compulsory, what can stop it from making brail and sign language compulsory?"

The veteran educationalist also said the disabilities act of 1992 needs to be revised because it put all people with disabilities and special needs under the department of social welfare, a development which creates a room for discrimination and stigmatization of people with disabilities.

"The act is not in sync with what is on the ground. Not all people with disabilities are vulnerable, there a lot of people with disabilities who are contributing productively to the economy," added Mudzingwa.

He further said as MDC-T they will continue to establish structures throughout the country to ensure that people with special needs are inculcated with ideas of democracy and good governance.

"I can confirm that in Masvingo and Midlands provinces we already have operational structures. They are on the ground registering and training people with special needs on good governance," he added.

Mudzingwa also urged people with disabilities and special needs to work in unison to ensure that their representation and participation in the political, economic and social spheres are maximized.