WHEN he promised that sign language will be added as a subject to the school curriculum, and the MPs laughed, remembering the ‘fake’ interpreter at former president Nelson Mandela’s memorial service, Zuma paused to laugh too.
However, how much of a laughing matter is this statement and what is been done to accommodate such a promise?
The Deaf Federation of South Africa (DeafSA) which acts as the national research, information and community action organisation on behalf of about 600 000 South Africans that are culturally and linguistically deaf, has fought since the dawn of democracy to pass legislation in relation to deaf education and South African Sign Language (SASL).
One of the legislations passed recognises South African Sign Language for use in teaching and learning (LOLT) of Deaf learners in public schools.
In spite of this provision in the South African Schools Act (SASA), there is currently no approved South African Sign Language curriculum for Grades R-12. Furthermore, South African Sign Language is not yet one of the official languages of government in South Africa.
The President of the Republic of South Africa proclaimed in December 2012 that South African Sign Language must be developed and standardised for it to be one of the 11 official languages of government.
Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga has established a curriculum management team coordinating the development of the SASL curriculum. And a technical task team was established to write the curriculums for SASL from Grade R-12.
‘The South African government does integrate the deaf community in it attempts to heal the past by officially recognising SASL so that deaf people can also enjoy their rights, as enshrined in the constitution, and improve their quality of life by means of equal education opportunities.
‘The recognition of SASL as an official language is deaf people’s national outcry at the moment. Therefore, by recognising SASL as an official language, the will of deaf people would have been dealt with,’ said the National Director of DeafSA, Bruno Druchen.
Would love to learn SASL but do not know of any place in Richards Bay that offers courses. There are NQF level 4&5 coarses offered in Johanesburg & Cape Town, what about the rest of the country? I am teaching my daughter(1&1/2yrs) to say thank you & the signs for helicopter & airoplane but would love her to have the opportunity to learn more when she goes to school.