On the afternoon of Monday 21st October 2024, a delegation of the National Assembly visited the Deaf Centre as part of the ongoing Deaf Cultured and Inclusive Parliament project, which aims to promote the inclusion of the Deaf Community at the forefront of parliamentary proceedings. The visiting delegation was comprised of the project Focal Group, namely Deputy Clerk Ms. Alexandria Faure, Ms. Shannon Surman, Ms. Angelique Hill, Ms. Emma Didon, and Ms. Lucy Michel. Representing their respective caucuses were Hon. Kelly Samynadin, Hon. Rachel Spiro, and Hon. Doyace Porice.
The visit began with a welcoming introduction by Ms. Shana David, a member of the Deaf Community and teacher at the Deaf Centre. Ms. David welcomed the parliamentary representatives to the learning space, introducing them to the teachers and students who would form part of the visit. The visit then officially began with a cultural dance performed by a few of the deaf students. Ms. David explained that while some of the children do not have the ability to hear music, they are able to feel the vibrations and count the beats mentally, allowing them to dance and express themselves. Giving a few words of welcome was also the Chairperson of the Association for People with Hearing Impairment (APHI) Ms. Anita Gardner, who thanked the Focal Group and Hon. Members for their visit to the Deaf Centre to view the progress that the Deaf Community have made in terms of access to education and the promotion of deaf culture in the young students. Following the cultural dance, students also demonstrated their storytelling abilities through a mime comedy.
The National Assembly delegation then took the opportunity to present the students with personal school supplies to motivate them in the pursuit of their education. Deputy Clerk Ms. Faure presented Ms. Gardner with a token of appreciation on behalf of the National Assembly, for her tireless efforts in the promotion of deaf accessibility in Seychelles. Ms. Faure remarked that “Ms. Anita has imparted a lot of knowledge and insights into the plights of the Deaf Community through her work, and we are grateful as the Assembly to have collaborated with her in such meaningful ways”. Ms. Gardner has formed part of the Deaf Cultured and Inclusive Parliament Project, hosting Seychellois Sign Language Classes for Honourable Members and Staff of the Assembly, as well as a variety of other activities such as workshops and video projects.
The tour of the facility subsequently took place, with Ms. Gardner and Ms. David leading the group to the classrooms, hostel accommodations, rest areas, security room, and staff room. The group were able to view the current resources in place as well as the work of the deaf students, particularly their spectacular arts and crafts projects. Ms. Gardner led the group to view a room dedicated to the repair and specialised fitting of hearing aids, which are created and specially curated for each deaf person in need. It was noted that while the Centre is in full functional condition, there was room for investment in areas such as general equipment, infrastructural improvements like new paint and tiles, as well as the need for capacity-building with externally trained specialists. The Hon. Members inquired into the affiliation between the Deaf Centre and the Ministry of Education, noting that increased cooperation would serve to benefit the students and the teachers in training.
The tour was concluded with a sit-down discussion between the National Assembly group and the teachers of the Deaf Centre, in which they discussed the primary challenges experienced by the school. Due to various issues such as the intensity of sign language certification and the lack of promotion of teaching in sign language as a career path, the Deaf Centre has struggled to engage more teachers to meet the needs of the students. Currently, the school has three teachers at differing levels of sign language certification; however, Ms. David emphasized the fact that in a classroom setting, one deaf student is equivalent to seven hearing students, requiring more effort in ensuring that all children are given equal attention and interaction.
The finances of the Deaf Centre are also in need of improvement, with the members of the Centre taking it upon themselves to lobby and fundraise with the aim of reinvesting in the capacity of the school. Due to fluctuating support offered by various MDAs, it is often the volunteers and staff of the Deaf Centre that fund the development of the resources and activities hosted by the school. Member of the Focal Group Ms. Michel remarked that “discovering the Deaf Culture is like learning about a whole new invisible world which has been part of ‘our’ world… yet only a few of us are truly aware of their needs”.
While the Deaf Community has formed part of our society historically, gaps in legislation and national awareness have led to a sustained underdevelopment of the inclusion of this group of people. The National Assembly of Seychelles, through the Deaf Cultured and Inclusive Parliament Project funded by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association CPwD Fund, is committed to raising awareness and enlightening the public on the challenges faced by the Deaf Community and calling for effective developments in national accessibility.
