Weeklong events to support hearing-impaired begin

Jamil Khan, Senior Reporter

Al-Amal School for the Deaf, which is an affiliate of Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services, celebrates the forty-fifth Arab Deaf Week from 20 to 27 April 2020 under the theme ‘Persons who are deaf or hard-of-hearing have the right to marry by the support of community institutions’.

Due to the hard circumstances the world is witnessing due to the new coronavirus, the school’s celebration of the week is limited to four themes. It will be broadcast via electronic platforms and social media. The first of these presents successful examples of deaf marriage for married people, in which the couple talks about the most important elements that have achieved this success, whether the couple is deaf or only one of them is deaf.

The second theme of the ceremonial programme (Pulse) is a group of awareness messages addressed to parents, institutions, and deaf and hard of hearing people. These messages discuss the week’s motto and its meaning. A number of deaf people is going to present these messages themselves.

The third theme of the Al-Amal School for the Deaf celebration of the forty-fifth week of the Deaf includes a set of daily awareness cards to introduce the services that the school provides to its students. The School would provide information about hearing loss, its types and symptoms, and the impact of noise on hearing and how to care for the hearing aid etc. As for the fourth and final theme, it will be an educational lecture entitled: (Marriage is a Responsibility).

Please note that all elements of remote education will be in sign language and spoken language.

Afaf Al-Haridi, Director of Al-Amal School for the Deaf confirmed the school’s keenness, despite the current circumstances, to celebrate the Deaf Week and spread awareness of the right of the deaf in a facilitated marriage supported by community institutions. 

She said, “Since the beginning of the crisis, the distance learning process in the school is proceeding very well, as students and teachers from the kindergarten stage until the eleventh grade adhere to all scheduled classes and hours of instruction so that the teacher and students are connected via smart devices to explain lessons, apply information and answer questions. Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services has contributed to providing these devices to a number of students who did not own them. It also provided some teachers with fast internet service in order to ensure the educational process is optimised”.