Crystal Asige roots for Sign Language Bill amid deaf rights push

The government of Ghana has announced plans to create a comprehensive policy for incorporating Ghanaian Sign Language (GSL) into the country's educational system. Minister of Education Haruna Iddrisu revealed that the Ministry would work alongside stakeholders to formally acknowledge and integrate GSL, addressing a critical issue in deaf education in Ghana.

He highlighted that GSL is not merely a means of communication for many deaf Ghanaians but a language that enables them to express themselves, establish their identity, and participate fully in society.

The government acknowledges the necessity for a robust policy framework to guide the development and application of GSL in education, ensuring alignment with Ghana's constitutional, legal, and international obligations. The policy will focus on eight key areas, including standardising and expanding GSL, developing relevant terminology, creating teaching and learning materials, and training certified sign language teachers and interpreters.

It will also integrate sign language competencies into teacher education programs, ensure the recruitment and deployment of adequately trained personnel, establish accessible assessment practices, encourage bilingual and multilingual approaches to teaching deaf learners, and monitor learning outcomes systematically.

The Minister stressed that the recognition of GSL should lead to tangible educational opportunities and enhanced learning outcomes for deaf learners, rather than remaining a mere policy statement. He emphasized the importance of multilingual education, advocating for an approach that enables deaf learners to acquire strong foundational competencies in GSL while progressively gaining literacy in written English and other languages pertinent to their communities and educational paths.

The Minister stressed the significance of participation in the learning process, asserting that success should be measured by deaf learners' ability to learn, read, communicate effectively, acquire numeracy and digital skills, progress through the education system, and gain skills for further education, employment, and independent living.