CBC Health Services SEEPD programme launches sign language dictionary.

The dictionary is part of activities to mark this year’s World Hearing Day. The dictionary was launched recently at the Regional Inclusive Education Resource Center of Government Bilingual High School, GBHS, Bamenda, in the North West Region.

Officials of higher institutions of learning, primary and basic education sector attended the ceremony.

This year’s World Hearing Day would be commemorated under the theme: “Ear and Hearing Care for all. Let's make it a reality".

CBCHS Director Prof Tih Pius, was represented at the event by SEEPD Program Manager, Awa Chirac. 

Awa said the dictionary is “part of a global strategy to raise awareness to prevent deafness and hearing loss and to promote access to ear and hearing care services”.

He said the dictionary is part of his institution’s partnership with government to promote inclusive education.

The SEEPD Program Manager noted that the English Subsystem of education based on American Sign Language did not cover all words that fit the Cameroonian context.

To solve the problem, Awa noted that, “we saw the need to work with sign language interpreters, the deaf community, parents of children with hearing impairments to identify the words specific to Cameroon and agree on what is acceptable for those words”. He talked of plans to expand to other regions in the coming years.

NW secondary education boss lauds move

Speaking at the event, the Regional Delegate of Secondary Education, Ngwang Roland, lauded the initiative. He said it ties with government’s inclusion policy in schools.

Ngwang said, “over the years, the text book policy has had this limitation of being inclusive. For the first time, we have a dictionary that is going to be a need for learners with hearing impairment”. He said the dictionary is an important pedagogic tool.

Persons with disabilities hail milestone

The President of the Coordinating Unit of the Association of Persons with Disability, Nogning Armelle, on behalf of her peers said the dictionary is a good move.

Nogning said “persons with hearing impairment have been missing out due to the lack of communication. This is a great achievement and a big plus to the community of persons with disability”.

About the Sign Language dictionary

The sign language dictionary is a product of a research undertaken to recognise and standardise indigenous signs used by deaf people in the North West Region.

The dictionary promotes the sign language rights of the deaf. It is in line with the recommendation of the World Federation of the Deaf for emerging countries to develop their own sign languages.

The dictionary has 17 chapters and 570 words plus a memory aid to guide users on how to sign letters, words and numbers.

The dictionary also has a directive on sign formation and tips for sign language learning. The dictionary comes with a video that shows how deaf sign languages. The project went underway in 2010.

Free ear screening for NW mayors

On the sideline of the event, the SEEPD program also organised a free ear screening exercise for mayors of the North West Region.

The representative of SEEPD Program Manager, Acateseh Goodwill, schooled the municipal authorities on the role of municipalities in the promotion of the Deaf culture and access to ear and hearing care.

Achateseh told the mayors that, "it is within your power to campaign for ear and hearing health services at all levels of healthcare, facilitate access to ear and hearing care services for all members of the community”.

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The dictionary is part of activities to mark this year’s World Hearing Day. The dictionary was launched recently at the Regional Inclusive Education Resource Center of Government Bilingual High School, GBHS, Bamenda, in the North West Region.

Officials of higher institutions of learning, primary and basic education sector attended the ceremony.

This year’s World Hearing Day would be commemorated under the theme: “Ear and Hearing Care for all. Let's make it a reality".

CBCHS Director Prof Tih Pius, was represented at the event by SEEPD Program Manager, Awa Chirac. 

Awa said the dictionary is “part of a global strategy to raise awareness to prevent deafness and hearing loss and to promote access to ear and hearing care services”.

He said the dictionary is part of his institution’s partnership with government to promote inclusive education.

The SEEPD Program Manager noted that the English Subsystem of education based on American Sign Language did not cover all words that fit the Cameroonian context.

To solve the problem, Awa noted that, “we saw the need to work with sign language interpreters, the deaf community, parents of children with hearing impairments to identify the words specific to Cameroon and agree on what is acceptable for those words”. He talked of plans to expand to other regions in the coming years.

NW secondary education boss lauds move

Speaking at the event, the Regional Delegate of Secondary Education, Ngwang Roland, lauded the initiative. He said it ties with government’s inclusion policy in schools.

Ngwang said, “over the years, the text book policy has had this limitation of being inclusive. For the first time, we have a dictionary that is going to be a need for learners with hearing impairment”. He said the dictionary is an important pedagogic tool.

Persons with disabilities hail milestone

The President of the Coordinating Unit of the Association of Persons with Disability, Nogning Armelle, on behalf of her peers said the dictionary is a good move.

Nogning said “persons with hearing impairment have been missing out due to the lack of communication. This is a great achievement and a big plus to the community of persons with disability”.

About the Sign Language dictionary

The sign language dictionary is a product of a research undertaken to recognise and standardise indigenous signs used by deaf people in the North West Region.

The dictionary promotes the sign language rights of the deaf. It is in line with the recommendation of the World Federation of the Deaf for emerging countries to develop their own sign languages.

The dictionary has 17 chapters and 570 words plus a memory aid to guide users on how to sign letters, words and numbers.

The dictionary also has a directive on sign formation and tips for sign language learning. The dictionary comes with a video that shows how deaf sign languages. The project went underway in 2010.

Free ear screening for NW mayors

On the sideline of the event, the SEEPD program also organised a free ear screening exercise for mayors of the North West Region.

The representative of SEEPD Program Manager, Acateseh Goodwill, schooled the municipal authorities on the role of municipalities in the promotion of the Deaf culture and access to ear and hearing care.

Achateseh told the mayors that, "it is within your power to campaign for ear and hearing health services at all levels of healthcare, facilitate access to ear and hearing care services for all members of the community”.