April Paper presented to Workshop for Colleges of Education Lecturers, Lusaka

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1 Paper name: Author: Organisation: Date published: Country: Special needs education for the Deaf and Hard Of Hearing Kanyanta Bonaventure Sylvester Ministry of Education April Paper presented to Workshop for Colleges of Education Lecturers, Lusaka Zambia Synopsis This article provides a brief history of the beginning of special needs education of the deaf and hard of hearing in Zambia under benevolent missionary societies. It goes on to look at the further development of educational provision for the deaf and hard of hearing provided by the government. Origins of special needs education Special needs education of the deaf and hard of hearing in Zambia began in Dr Ella S. Botes, a Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) missionary nurse and teacher, founded the Magwero School for the Deaf in Chipata District in the Eastern Province of Zambia. She was assisted by a Zambian teacher Mr. Shenard K.Chitsala Phiri. Dr Botes was the school principal and business manager, while Mr. Chitsala conducted academic classes for deaf and hard of hearing children. The school was under DRC management. The Zambia government department of Social Welfare supported the school with grants. Children attending school came from all over Zambia and Malawi and the social welfare officers facilitated the children's travel to and from school. Thus the Magwero School for the Deaf enjoyed an international school status until 1971 when Malawi established their own school for the deaf. In addition to the Magwero School for the Deaf, a unit was opened at Kitwe Valley View Primary School in 1968 for the mainstreaming of deaf children. It was an experimental alternative provision to segregated residential provision. The school opened following the recommendations of the 1967 McGregor Commission of Inquiry into the education of persons with disabilities. Provision of educational facilities In 1971 the Ministry of Education took over the responsibility of educating the deaf and hard of hearing in the country. Following the takeover the Ministry of Education worked to expand the educational facilities. Today there are more than 30 mainstream day units. Data is not yet available on inclusive education placement. There are four segregated residential basic schools for the deaf in Zambia: 1. Magwero Mission, in eastern province 2. St Joseph's Mission. Kalulushi, 3. St Mulumba's, Choma in southern province 4. Senanga in western province. Downloaded from The International Deaf Children s Society s Resource library on 1

2 Weekly boarding schools have been introduced at some rural day units to enable deaf and hard of hearing children from distant villages to attend mainstream or inclusive education classes at the nearby school. At weekends some children travel to their villages to be with their parents, returning to school on Sunday evenings. Musakanya Basic School, in Mpika, and Chila Basic School, in Mbala, are some examples of these. Weekly boarding schools are also being demanded by urban parents and school administrators. One of the special needs schools in Zambia (UTH) has expressed a desire to have the facility to enable children with mobility difficulties to live at the school. Shuttling them to and from home has become expensive in fuel costs and loss of teaching time, as children arrive late for classes by their school bus. At secondary school level there is a residential school, Munali Junior and High School, in Lusaka Province, and a day unit at St Joseph's Kalumbwa, in Copperbelt Province. See TabIe 1. Table 1: Educational facilities Type of Institution Number Day units throughout the country 30 Segregated residential basic schools 4 Inclusive education centres 1 Weekly boarding schools 2 Residential junior and high school 1 Day junior and high school 1 Total 39 The deaf and hard of hearing attend vocational and technical skills training at mainstream Luanshya Trades Training Institute and segregated National Vocational Rehabilitation Centre. Ndola. Luanshya Trades Training Institute unit has since been closed to the deaf and hard of hearing. Besides offering special needs education, vocational and technical skills training and professional training these entire residential schools and colleges have one thing in common. They enable deaf people to live as a deaf community within the institution, but in the mainstream community. Mbewe and Serpell (1990) observed that residential schools provide unique opportunities for the emergence and development of a deaf culture identified by extensive use of sign language and finger spelling for communication purposes. Jones (1986, 9-10) makes the following observations about the role of school in the lives of deaf children. First, an ability to communicate fluently and therefore make relationships and share group and individual roles in school allows deaf people to build a good self-image or self-esteem. Second, the socialization process (the learning of attitudes and roles, the building of emotions and feelings, together with the learning of language is attained through social Downloaded from The International Deaf Children s Society s Resource library on 2

3 interaction, much of it in groups. Third, the elements of the culture in which a person is brought up are communicated, directly or indirectly, through language - sign language included. Thus deaf people benefit greatly from attending school in residential facilities. Teacher training The first official teacher training course started at the University of Zambia in the academic year 1969/70. A Danish expert Mr Skamris trained nine in-service students in special needs education to the level of the Zambia Primary Course Associate Certificate of Education. By 1971 the in-service teacher training was moved to the Zambia Institute of Special Education (ZAMISE). Another Danish expert Mr Sparrhevon and his wife carried on with the work. A small number of teachers graduating from ZAMISE became the teacher trainers in the education of the deaf and hard of hearing at ZAMISE. Kitwe Teacher Training College was designated for pre-service training of Grade 12 deaf and hard of hearing school leavers. By 1989 the first Grade 12 school leaver, Lizzy Kapansa, enrolled in the college. In 1997 Lizzy obtained an in-service teacher training diploma from Luanshya Technical and Vocational Teachers College. In 1997 Mukuma Chikwata became the first deaf teacher to attend in-service teacher training in special needs education at ZAMISE, following his pre-service teacher training at Kitwe Teachers College. In 1992 Simate Simate was the first hard of hearing student to complete pre-service teacher training at Nkrumah Teachers College. Deaf and hard of hearing school leavers attend pre-service and in-service teacher training at the University of Zambia leading to Bachelor of Education, Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science with Education degrees. For example from 1974 to 1978 McKenzie Mbewe was the first pre-service deaf student to obtain BA with Education. He graduated with double majors in Geography and Political Science. We must be proud of the Zambian government s achievement. Deaf and hard of hearing people have benefited from attending the segregated and inclusive institutions as is their right. Deaf and hard of hearing students who succeeded in graduating through these institutions have become role models of achievement for the new generation. Medium of instruction The medium of instruction was mainly oralism. Sign language was suppressed. But in providing guidance and counselling to deaf children, the teachers found that sign language was an appropriate medium of expression and instruction. Sign language was strengthened with the presence of Mr McKenzie Mbewe, an untrained deaf teacher at the Magwero School for the Deaf from 1966 to More recently there has been a positive change of attitude towards sign language. More teachers want to learn sign language as part of their in-service training, but they cannot do so due to the lack of lecturers in sign language at in-service colleges. The Zambia National Association of the Deaf (ZNAD) have tried to remedy the situation. From ZNAD entered into development Downloaded from The International Deaf Children s Society s Resource library on 3

4 aid cooperation with the Danish Deaf Association in Denmark. ZNAD recruited four Ministry of Education teachers to train as sign language teachers in East Africa, based in Uganda. Danish instructors conducted course work and supervised teaching practice during the 2 year period. Upon completion of their training, however, the four teachers were not deployed by the Ministry of Education as the ministry was restructuring its teaching posts. Policy issues How can Sign language be applied in the education of deaf children? In the first two years of school Zambian children are expected to learn in their mother tongue. This is a bi-lingual approach. Sign Language is the "mother tongue" of the deaf children born of deaf parents (about 10%) and the first language for the majority of deaf children. Will the policy allow deaf children to be educated through the medium of sign language in the first two years? Which Zambian spoken language (local languages and English) should be used along with sign language and finger spelling? Many educators have been reluctant to acknowledge the supreme educational importance of sign language, the natural language of the deaf, in the design and implementation of their education. We are at the crossroads. But we don't need to be. Examples of success elsewhere in the world are there to convince us that sign language is a language in its own right and must be included in the Zambia s bi-lingual education approach. What do we achieve by re-naming educational policies? The term open education" was applied to the practice of educating blind children in ordinary schools in This was later changed to integration", and then to "mainstreaming". Now it has changed again to "inclusive education". Sometimes the policies simply change names, but the practice remains the same. Educational policies designed for implementation in a ten-year period often end up without being implemented, and are replaced by new policies without any thing meaningful having been achieved. Deaf adult role models The Zambia National Association of the Deaf (ZNAD) asked the Ministry of Education to start employing deaf adults as sign language role models in schools for the deaf to foster the growth of their cultural language. Deaf children like to model themselves on their deaf elders. In 1996 ZNAD received a favourable proposal from the Ministry of Education s Chief Inspector of Schools suggesting that this idea could be implemented in future, but nothing has happened yet. The Persons with Disabilities Act 1996 This has not been implemented since its enactment in For example, under Section 24 (1) and (2) deaf and hard of hearing school leavers are Downloaded from The International Deaf Children s Society s Resource library on 4

5 supposed to benefit from waged employment, if companies were made aware of the tax rebate incentives for each company or person employing 3 persons with disabilities. This is not being done. Sign language lecturers In ZNAD sponsored Ministry of Education teachers for training in sign language teacher training under Danish Deaf Association development aid cooperation. They graduated with certificates and, upon their graduation in March 2000, ZNAD asked the Ministry of Education to employ them as lecturers in sign language at ZAMISE, or Chalimbana in-service training college. The request was turned down. The Ministry said that it was restructuring its teaching posts. Following the restructuring, ZNAD contacted the ministry again and this time the Ministry said they could not employ them because they were not university graduates. Yet the same Ministry upgrades non-graduate industrial arts teachers to lecturers posts in home economics, welding and woodwork. Why can t the Ministry exercise positive discrimination in favour of sign language teachers? National Sign Language Committee ZNAD asked the Ministry of Education to sponsor a national sign language committee that would bring together UNZA, ZAMISE, the Curriculum Development Centre, the Examination Council, Zambia Teacher Education, Zambia Police College and ZNAD to design sign language syllabus levels, and review sign language progress both as a subject and in its application in the education of the deaf. This did not take place as it would have brought the knowledgeable sign language non-qraduate teachers into a meeting with the non-sign language graduate lecturers. Was it an industrial conflict, or a conflict of personalities? Transcription of examination papers for the deaf candidates ZNAD suggested that the Examination Council of Zambia must start to "transcribe" examination papers to suit deaf candidates reading ability, The non-graduate sign language teachers would assist examination officers in the trial exercises. That idea did not reach anyone beyond the committee meeting held in December 2000 at ZNAD House, Chinika, Lusaka. More provincial residential schools There is a need to construct one residential school for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in each province. Parents prefer residential schools because they do not have to pay for bus fares and lunches as they do in day units. Boarding schools therefore relieve them of domestic family expenses. Boarding schools are better known than day units. One of the problems with units is that they are very dependent on the unit teacher and they tend to be closed down when the sole teacher transfers to another school or retires. Boarding schools also have more teachers and classroom space than day units which often have one classroom where deaf and hard of hearing children from Grades 1 to 7 are taught usually by one teacher, but sometimes as many as three. How do we expect day unit children to gain access to quality education under such conditions? Downloaded from The International Deaf Children s Society s Resource library on 5

6 Late starters Deaf and hard of hearing children are often rejected for placement in the regular special needs education schools because they are over age. What has the Ministry of Education planned for them? Facilities for late starters must place emphasis on basic literacy skills and more vocational skills practice in preparation for self-employment and/or waged employment. Recently about 9 deaf and hard of heanng young people arrived at the Deaf Baptist Centre next to Buseko Market in Lusaka to enrol for classes. Parents asked if they were going to be charged fees. The Pastor in charge said that fees would be charged, but asked parents to provide stationery. Many of these children are shunned at home because parents think they cannot benefit from education. Instead they prefer to pay for their non-disabled children to attend school. They consider their disabled children as being in need of welfare support, rather than capable of working. Residential school for Deafblind children There is a need to build a residential school for Deaf children who have other disabilities. Since 1955 these deafblind children nave not benefited from any special needs education provision. ZNAD has so far identified 8 deafblind children with parents reporting that their children were rejected at St Mulumba's or Magwero because of being deafblind. The school could be stationed near a teacher training college, such as Chalimbana. The experience gathered from this establishment could then be spread to other provinces in Zambia. The Basic Education Sub-sector Programme (BESSIP) should be given responsibility for building the school. Reduced Ministerial HQ Inspectorate The inspectorate personnel at the Ministry of Education s headquarters have been reduced from four to one. Parents and teachers often find that the inspector is away from the office attending workshops, internal meetings, or undertaking field trips. These busy schedules leave little or no time for the inspector to consult with visiting teachers and parents. The problem reached a level whereby teachers and parents started going to ZNAD to ask for services such as placement of their children in school, and getting recommendations for scholarship. Since the 73 districts each have an inspector of schools, there is no need for the teachers and parents to go to the Ministerial HQ to have their needs attended to by the inspector. Lack of promotion Most special needs teachers complain of the lack of promotion within the special needs education sector. Some teachers were head teachers or senior teachers prior to joining the special needs education service. Following their in-service training they never regain those positions. Some teachers opt for mainstream placement to obtain, or regain, the promotion they need. The special needs education sector should have its own parallel promotion structures from head teacher to chief inspector of schools. The National Vocational Rehabilitation Centre This centre is under funded which results in irregular course administration and opening of college terms, The college is under the Ministry of Community Downloaded from The International Deaf Children s Society s Resource library on 6

7 Development and Social Services. If the ministry has problems in funding the college, why not transfer it to the Ministry of Science and Technology? Some courses have been combined to reduce expenses. Some building trades courses need to be introduced in bricklaying, plumbing and electrical maintenance to keep up with the changing economic needs of the country. Panel beating and spray painting should also be considered. The Ministry of Science and Technology This Ministry should consider re-opening the Luanshya Trades Training Institute (TTI) for a tailoring course for the deaf and hard of hearing. Also, the Lukashya TTI for Leatherwork Technology should consider training for the deaf and hard of hearing. Other disability groups are still attending vocational skills training at units allocated to them in the 1980s. Blind students are trained at Kabwe TTI, students with learning difficulties at Lusaka TTI, and those who are physically disabled at Livingstone TTI. Conclusion ZNAD has been working closely with teachers of the deaf and parents of deaf and hard of hearing children. It is a rights-based organization fighting for the rights of its deaf members. ZNAD has been doing the work of the Ministry of Education by guiding parents in placing their children in school, by printing and distributing the multi-disciplinary assessment forms for parents and children, and referring children to hospitals and centres for assessment. ZNAD is therefore extremely well informed on all issues related to deaf children, young people and their parents, and so is in a good position to advise the government on educational developments. References Jones, K (1986) The social-psychological needs of deaf people, In Beyond Hobson s Choice The appraisal of methods of teaching language to deaf children, edited by G. Montgomery pp8a 1. Edinburgh: Scottish Workshop Publication Mbewe, M.S. & (1990) Dialectal Flexibility in Sign Language in Africa. In Serpell, R Sign Language Research edited by Ceil Lucas pp Washington DC: Gallaudet University Press GRZ (1968) McGregor Commission of lnquiry~ Educating the Handicapped. Lusaka. Govt. Printer GRZ Downloaded from The International Deaf Children s Society s Resource library on 7