The Minister of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare, Mary Thom Navicha, has announced that government is in the final stages of introducing a new school curriculum that will accommodate Malawi Sign Language as a subject in primary and secondary schools across the country.
The Minister made the announcement on Tuesday at Migowi Primary School Ground in Phalombe District where the country joined the rest of the world in commemorating this year's International Day of Sign Languages under the global theme: "Declaring Deaf People's Human Rights.'
The colourful event, which was organized by the Ministry of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare in collaboration with the Malawi National Association of the Deaf (MANAD) and the Malawi Council for Disability Affairs (MACODA), brought together government officials, development partners, traditional leaders, learners, and members of the Deaf community from across the country.
Speaking as Guest of Honour, Navicha said time has come for Malawi to move from mere recognition of sign language to practical implementation of language rights for Deaf persons.
"There is no human right without sign language rights. My Ministry is working closely with the Ministry of Education and the Malawi Institute of Education to ensure that Malawi Sign Language is introduced as a subject and also as a medium of instruction for Deaf learners. We cannot talk about inclusive education when our Deaf children are still struggling to access information in their own language," said Navicha.
The Minister added that government will also train more teachers in Malawi Sign Language and deploy sign language interpreters in special needs education resource centres.
She further disclosed that government will engage Technical Entrepreneurial and Vocational Education and Training Authority- TEVETA to discuss on how best sign language can be introduced in its training centres.
Before the Minister's speech, the Chairperson of the Malawi National Association of the Deaf (MANAD) Executive Board, Robert Mbendera, stressed that while MBC TV has made commendable efforts to include sign language interpretation in its main news bulletins, private television stations in the country continue to exclude Deaf persons.
"We appreciate MBC for showing the way, but what about private television stations? we also have the right to information. Information is not for hearing people only. We are calling upon government through MACRA to make sign language interpretation mandatory for all television stations, both public and private, especially during news, national addresses, and emergency broadcasts," said Mbendera.
He further called upon government to formally acknowledge Malawi Sign Language as an official language of Malawi.
"For many years we have been recognized as just one of many languages. Today, under the theme 'Declaring Deaf People's Human Rights', we are declaring that Malawi Sign Language should be recognized as an official language just like Chichewa, Chitumbuka and others. It is not a favour, it is our language, our identity, and our right." Mbendera emphasized.
Malawi has joined the world in commemorating the International Day of Sign Language and this year's global theme 'Declaring Deaf People's Human Rights' reminds us that there is no human right without sign language rights. Sign language is not charity.