Lack of facilities: 1.25m children in Pakistan are deaf. Of these, less than 2% have access to education. PHOTO: FILE
The centre is the first-of-its-kind to be opened in the city and will provide academic and vocational training to deaf students from the city and the surrounding villages. The opening ceremony was attended by representatives of private donor companies, members of the business community as well as officials of the local government administration. Speaking at the ceremony, FESF executive director Richard Geary said, “The campus is a good step for the progress of deaf education in the region.” He hoped the centre would enable the students to avail education in an environment that would maximise their potential.
Following the speeches, the guests toured the newly renovated campus where they interacted with the students in their classrooms.
The school building has been provided by the Sindh TEVTA and set up in collaboration with the Government of Sindh. The future operational costs of the school will be sponsored by the generous contribution of Habib Sugar Mills.
The Deaf Reach Schools and Training Centres project aims to empower deaf children and youth through education, literacy, and training in marketable skills. With campuses located in Karachi, Hyderabad, Nawabshah, Sukkur and Lahore, the project currently forms the only branch network of schools for the deaf in rural areas of Pakistan.
Meanwhile, the FESF plans on opening new branches in Karachi and Gilgit-Balistan, as well as a new custom-built campus with a capacity of 500 students in Rashidabad, Tando-Allahyar. An estimated 1.25 million children in Pakistan are deaf. Of these, less than 2% have access to education.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 20th, 2013.
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