Digital classrooms open new doors for deaf students

KARACHI:

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Monday inaugurated 49 digital classrooms in 37 Special Education and Rehabilitation Centres of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPD).

The initiative, implemented by DEPD in collaboration with Deaf Reach and the Family Educational Services Foundation (FESF), is expected to expand access to quality education in remote and underserved areas.

The 49 digital classrooms will benefit approximately 754 deaf students, while the 20 satellite schools will provide educational opportunities to around 476 children who previously had limited access to specialised education services.

Addressing the ceremony, the chief minister said the programme marked another important step towards ensuring equal educational opportunities for children with disabilities. Shah said the newly established digital classrooms would bring modern learning tools, smartboards, e-learning resources and technology-enabled education closer to students regardless of where they live.

The chief minister noted that while technology was transforming education, trained teachers remained central to effective learning. He said the launch of the Sign Language Teachers' Training Programme would strengthen teachers' capacity and promote Pakistan Sign Language as an essential tool for inclusive education.