The Network for the Advancement of People with Visible Disabilities (NAPVID) urged the Nigerian government on Saturday to include Sign Language in the country’s school curriculum so that deaf people can participate fully in society. The non-governmental organisation encouraged that the government should mandate the teaching of the language for students from primary to secondary school in honour of the 2023 International Day for Sign Languages, held under the theme “A World Where Deaf People Can Sign Anywhere.”
At the event that was organised by Precious Oshoaro, Oluwatoyin Ajao, and Anuoluapo Ogunrinu, three Batch ‘A’ Stream 1 Corps members serving in Edo State, in partnership with Network for the Advancement of People with Visible Disabilities (NAPVID), Bar Melody Omosah, the Executive Director of the organisation, spoke to the Journalists in attendance. According to him, the fact that there are millions of deaf individuals all over the world makes it absolutely necessary for schools to teach sign language.
Corps members partner with the organisation to raise awareness.
He expressed his gratitude on behalf of NAPVID for their partnership with the three Corps members currently stationed in Edo State who brought this initiative to raise awareness for a world in which people with such impairment have the freedom to sign anywhere and communicate with everyone in society, not just those who are able to hear them. The global community needs to see sign language as a recognised one, and Nigeria should incorporate it into its curriculum and all the schools should teach it.
Moreover, it must be included in the curriculum due to the large number of deaf persons in the country. This will allow hearing-impaired individuals to be understood by the general public so that hearing people can feel comfortable interacting with them. Therefore, this brings about its necessity from elementary through high school in Nigeria. At a bare minimum, the government should mandate its inclusion across the country to acknowledge that deaf individuals have a place in society as a whole.
Deaf community communication rights should be protected.
One of the Corps members who organised the initiative, Miss Precious Oshoaro, also spoke. She stated that the topic for this year’s International Day for Sign Languages is appropriate because it is a day when the world unites for the well-being of deaf people as a method of defending the rights of their community. This event is about making sure that the deaf community is accessible to everyone and that everyone feels included in the responsibility of caring for such individuals.
Their objective is to disseminate information to the general public about the significance of Sign Language in facilitating communication between hearing people and those who cannot hear. Sign Language is a kind of communication that ought to be accepted, and as they commemorate the day, they are going to educate everyone in the community that deaf people are also human beings and sign language is a type of communication that they should welcome. Therefore, everyone should act as a force to fight for this positive change.
United Nations seeks to promote cultural and linguistic diversity.
People should have lots of love, kindness, and understanding for the deaf, who can’t hear them in this noisy world. On September 23, the United Nations celebrates International Day for Sign Languages with the goal of raising awareness of the significance of sign languages and promoting the cultural and linguistic diversity of deaf societies. The Road Walk took place from Market Square, which is located on Sapele Road, all the way to Kings Square, which is located on Ring Road in Benin City.
Related Link
NAPVID: Website
