Picture for illustration: iStock
Michelle Lissoos, executive director for iSchool Africa, has encouraged the deaf and other disabled people to acquire Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) skills to prepare them for careers in technology.
iSchool Africa is an initiative aimed at bringing technology to township and rural schools.
Lissoos was speaking at the Deaf Awareness Month event at the MCK Special School for the Deaf in Lenasia, Johannesburg.
Lissoos and her team have been offering coding lessons to deaf pupils to prepare them for the changing world of 4IR and the digital economy.
“The skills that the children are getting will be useful, especially the knowledge of coding because in today’s world coding is very essential and it will make it easier for the children to adopt and kick-start their careers.
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“Exposing them to technology at an early age will also enable those who would like to take advantage of the booming technology-based economy.”
“However, I am worried about the slow pace at which the government and the private sector are employing disabled people.
“They have been talking about facilitating employment, but practically they are not doing that. If I am not mistaken, less than 2% of disabled people are employed in the country.”
She said corporate partnerships enable the entity to supply pupils with iPads equipped with applications that assist with various subjects.
Lissoos said as the project is rolled out they train teachers so they can impart knowledge.
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The project started in 2009 and they had trained about 3 000 teachers nationally who have attended to 100 000 pupils.
MCK Special School for the Deaf deputy principal Ishwarlal Reggie appreciated the assistance offered by iSchool Africa in equipping more than 400 pupils from primary to high school.
Reggie also urged young people to consider sign language as a career to fill up gaps in the education sector.
“We are appealing for aspiring teachers to include sign language in their qualification. In our bid to popularise the language within the community on weekends, especially Saturdays we run classes where we educate interested community members, especially parents, police and other relevant stakeholders on how to interact with deaf people.”
Kirti Soma, a Grade 4 and 5 teacher, said the iPad training had improved her pupils’ engagement.
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Soma said since children loved playing with gadgets, “it is easy for them to concentrate and participate fully when they learn digitally. The children love and enjoy schooling because of the tablets that they use.
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