Sign Language Supporters: Department of Social Welfare organizes training course

The Myanmar standard sign language supporters refresher course to be conducted at the School for the Deaf in Mandalay under the Department of Social Welfare was opened on Monday.

Union Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Dr Thet Thet Khine gave a speech at the ceremony, saying that according to the 2019 interim census, over 5.9 million people (12.8%) of Myanmar’s population are disabled.

Out of them, 1.092 millions are people with hearing impairment and they are 2.35 percent of total population. With the aim of providing access information for the people with hearing loss and helping them for social dealing in the community, the Department of Social Welfare jointly implemented with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for the first phase of the project from December 2007 to December 2010 and the second phase of the project from August 2011 to August 2014 and nine trainers were trained.

Moreover, the 18-month Sign Language Supporters Training Courses No (1) to (4) were opened at the School for the Deaf in Yangon from 2013 December to August 2019 and a total of 79 trainees were trained.The Department of Social Welfare has trained 44 staff members for the Sign Language Supporters Course No. (1) to (4).

Deputy Minister U Aung Tun Khaing said nurturing of more sign language supporters and plan to form service provider association. The training will be conducted from 4th to 29th July and a total of 11 trainees; 9 staff from the Department of Social Welfare and 2 staff from MRTV are attending the course.