University of Nairobi s2

UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI REMARKS MADE BY PROF. PETER M. F. MBITHI, DEPUTY VICE-

CHANCELLOR (A&F) DURING THE WORKSHOP TO SENSITIZE

STAFF ON SERVICE PROVISION TO PERSONS WITH HEARING

DISABILITIES, HELD AT THE CCU ON FRIDAY JANUARY 31, 2014 AT

9.00 A.M.

I take this opportunity to welcome you all to this sensitization forum addressing the plight of those among us who have a hearing disability.

This sensitization draws participants from staff in the Central Administration Units

The sensitization will later cover Colleges and other University Campuses within

Nairobi It is important for all participants to note that this is a serious exercise and is a reflection of how University of Nairobi is committed to serving all customers better without discrimination or prejudice

Indeed this is part of the University’s disability mainstreaming activities, which are in tandem with the UON disability policy

The Disability Policy itself aims at establishing structures and systems that ensure

PWDs are empowered in the way they access Information and services

It also serves to empower staff on disability-related issues through sensitization and training

This particular activity zeroes in on sensitizing and training staff on service provision to persons with hearing disability.

People with hearing disability have a unique communication need because they use a language totally different from the one used by the majority of us.

In Kenya, they use Kenyan Sign Language (KSL), which is a visual and gestural language. People with hearing disability cannot therefore communicate using speech.

They are part and parcel of the Kenyan community and they too require services.

This sensitization is meant to open up your eyes to the reality that one day a person with hearing disability may walk into your office looking for services. How will you offer those services? You need first of all to know that such people are around us and they are different from people with visual disability. They are also different from people with physical disability and therefore require a different approach in handling them.

The University has over time taken steps towards disability sensitization. So far, over 150 staff members have gone through basic KSL training conducted by

Kenya Sign Language Research project which is based here at the UON. This is therefore a continuation of that commitment by the university to ensure that persons with disabilities feel at home at the UON

This sensitization will be followed by training in basic Kenya Sign Language for some of you. This way we hope to open up the world of any person with hearing disability and make them feel welcome at the UON.

The UON has also been able to cater for the deaf students in its midst by employing Kenya Sign Language Interpreters. These interpreters form an important link between the hearing world and the deaf world.

The interpreters go to class with the deaf students to facilitate communication between the hearing teacher and the deaf student. In this regard, it will be necessary that we sensitize our teaching staff about deafness and deaf people so they don’t get shocked when a student in their class comes with an interpreter, as the biggest barrier to effective communication with deaf people is lack of the ability to communicate with them.

For although most of our students may not have the hearing disability, we have a duty and obligation to put systems in place to assist those in our midst, especially students, who have the hearing disability, to live as normal a life as possible. We should do this as fellow members of society and sensitive human beings.

Lastly, I take this opportunity to thank the organizers of this training session together with the resource persons for the efforts discharged to make it a success.

To all of you, accept my thanks on behalf of the University Management.

With those remarks, it now my pleasure to declare this sensitization on hearing disabilities, officially open.