Kathmandu, December 27

Minister of State for Education Dhan Maya BK said all educational institutions with hearing-impaired students must make sure that all teachers can communicate in sign language.

Speaking at an interaction organised by Rara Human Resource Development and Environmental Efforts today, Minister BK said all students had the right to education, and the hearing-impaired must not be deprived of education in any way.

Sarita Chand, 16, a tenth grader, said it was extremely difficult for her to understand chapters and difficult concepts, especially in Science, because her teacher cannot communicate to her in sign language. “I seek help from friends, because only reading the book is not enough at times. But that is not always enough, and often I am left behind in class,” she said.

There are two hearing impaired teachers Suryodaya Higher Secondary School at Chisapani in Banke where Chand studies, but they are not trained to teach all subjects.

Nausari Gharti Magar, a 12th grader, said she often felt left out and inferior to her peers because she could not comprehend the discussions going on in her classroom. She said although a few teachers were given training in sign language for two months, they could not teach her all subjects.

Principal at Suryodaya Higher Secondary School Jaya Bahadur Bista informed that the school had been trying to address the special needs of students, but they did not have the fund to hire teachers who could communicate in sign language, or train all existing teachers.