Nantege Sandra is born deaf and attending P7 at Kinyinya primary school together with 75 other deaf pupils in Chaka district.
In the beginning her school was a special unit in a hearing school. Then the parents of the deaf children got together and demanded for land to build a special deaf school for their children.
The school was completed with assistance from ActionAid who funded the construction of the dormitory where Nantege Sandra and the other girls now sleep on sponge mattresses. Nantege Sandra is taught by two sign language instructors and two trained special needs teachers. She is studying hard to pass her exams this year and join Senior One.
Most of the deaf children in Uganda are far from the positive situation as Nantege Sandra. Comprehensive national data of the number and the conditions of deaf children are not available.
But according to officials from Uganda National Association of the Deaf (UNAD), children like Nantege Sandra belong to a minority of the deaf children in the country.
Their parents got to know about the schooling possibilities through UNADs out reach programme where the possibilities for deaf children are advertised on local radio, newspaper adverts and community mobilisation meetings.
According to the ‘People with disability Act, 2006 and other laws and policies, all deaf children are entitled to quality education. Yet the national structures and resources are inadequate to implement a Universal Education for the Deaf.
Uganda has put in place a number of good laws to protect people with disabilities, including deaf people, and we are the only country in East Africa who pried our selves of having five members of Parliament who are disabled. Our challenge, however, is with the implementation of the laws. When basic statistics on the number and living conditions of deaf people are not available which make it impossible to address their needs, says Deborah Yyute Oyuu, Project Coordinator of UNAP.
She believes that quality education is the first area to focus on to improve the livelihoods and conditions of people with hearing impairment. This is because education the basis for all development including accessing rights.
If people do not know the basic skills of counting, reading and writing, then they will never be able to get a job. If they are kept in ignorance, they are also more vulnerable to social threats like HIV/AIDS and violence and can not claim their rights to a life of dignity.
Deaf children are often stigmatised with most parents hiding them because of shame. These children’s livelihood can only be improved through education, says Deborah Yyute Oyuu who was born deaf and communicate by sign language she learnt through her education.
According to UNAD, nationwide quality education can only be achieved if it made compulsory for every Special Needs teachers to know sign language.
The official ratio for deaf children is one teacher for 10 pupils. For one deaf-blind pupil the ratio is two instructors and a teacher. Presently schools with deaf children often do not have sign language instructors.
UNAD and ActionAid’s appeal to Government is to provide a nationwide quality education for all deaf pupils based on community experiences. Since 1973 UNAD has built and supported deaf schools and centres all over the country.
Since 2000, UNAD together with ActionAid has established schools for the deaf children in Kyenjonjo, Mbarara and Isingiro districts under the Kambara Deaf Development Project. As part of the project, adults in the communities have also been supported to learn sign language.