The Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority- MACRA has said it is committed to promote inclusiveness in the communication sector by funding the Directorate of Inclusive Education through the formation of sign language clubs.
Speaking at the launch of a week long training for trainers, MACRA Director General Daudi Suleiman said the regulatory body is set to review all broadcasting licences for television stations in the country in order for them to include mandatory sign language interpretors in their programming.
Suleiman said it is from this background that they want to train more sign language interpretors in the country.
“Communication services per the 2016 Communications Act are supposed to be enjoyed by everyone regardless of their geographical location or any inabilities, therefore the use of sign language interpretors in key in television programming. As a regulator we are fostering an inclusive environment for all. The next step will therefore be to encourage each and every television station in the country to have well trained sign language interpretors in order to close that gap that is there at the moment between the source of information and the impaired audience”, said Suleiman.
The project which is being implemented through the Ministry of Education is in its first phase which will cover 12 districts in the country.
Principal Secretary for basic education at the Ministry of education, Rachel Chimbwete Phiri called upon teachers who will be trained in sign language interpretation training to take up the opportunity to learn sign language interpretation to promote inclusiveness in the communication sector.
Phiri said currently there is a gap that needs to be closed to achieve what the 2016 Communication Act stipulates.
“At the moment we are facing challenges in Communication with those that have hearing impairments. Therefore this training is very important as it will train the trainers who we teachers from both primary and secondary schools, we therefore intend to promote sign language interpretation in the country. This i feel is a catalyst yo closing the communication gap”, she said.
Currently, there are 178 schools that are supporting learners with special needs in Malawi.
