By Regis Che
The Association of Students with Disabilities in the University of Buea, UBDSA has entered a partnership with the Presbyterian Community Rehabilitation Service, PCRS Kumba to improve on the conditions of students with hearing impairment in the institution.
During a meeting that brought leaders of the two organizations in the University of Buea together recently, strategies to better the inclusion of learners with hearing and speech challenges in school communities were brought to the limelight.
The UBDSA undertook commitment to organize activities that would accelerate effective inclusion of students with hearing and speech impairments in the learning process.
The activity which is to be funded by the Presbyterian Community Rehabilitation Services,
PCRS is part of an ongoing Health Inclusive Humanitarian Project targeting persons with disabilities, internally displaced populations and host communities in Meme and Fako divisions of Cameroon’s conflict-stricken Southwest Region.
UBDSA will therefore organise seminars, carry out class to class sensitization, hold media conferences and other activities that would create awareness on sign language.
Barriers affecting the smooth learning and interaction of persons with hearing and speech impairements in the University of Buea would become things of the past.
Speaking at the close of the ceremony, President of UBDSA who doubles as the Executive Director of TWIFNEWS, Kesah Princely described the meeting as a good avenue for his led association to build a symbiotic rapprochement with PCRS.
“Making life in the University of Buea worth living for our hearing and speech impaired brethren is as good as making life comfortable for all students of this institution,” he said, adding that learners with hearing and speaking difficulties are often sidelined in social activities; thereby making them feel cheated among their peers without disability.
President Kesah assured this category of learners of UBDSA’s determination to build a friendly learning environment for them.
The project manager of PCRS, Penn Julius on his part, disclosed that UBDSA is a very strategic partner to the health-inclusive humanitarian program.
He further stressed that, improving on the situation of learners with hearing and speech impairments will be a big dream come true for his organization.
Also speaking at the event, Sally, a Master’s student with hearing impairment in the department of Educational Psychology revealed that the initiative will make their stay in the university less burdensome.
She however entreated the University’s hierarchy to institute the teaching of sign language as a program under Special Education, adding that it is important for sign language to be made a school requirement for all undergraduate students.
This, Sally underscored, is a cine qua non to fast tract the inclusion of learners with hearing and speech impairments in all university activities.
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