Visually impaired students of Gulu high school using the newly installed computer with funding from MTN foundation. Photo by Jackson Kitara
By Walter Okot
Gulu: While in Senior One, Christine Lucky Auma, a visually impaired student at Gulu High School struggled to do research and get her examination results because of limited assistive devices.
Although education for Persons with Disabilities in Uganda started in 1952 by the colonial government, access to special needs education services for the visually impaired remains limited, as many schools remain non-inclusive.
The blind annex at Gulu High School was established in 1986, but to date, learners at the department struggles to access online and offline learning materials.
In most cases, the blind and visually impaired learners rely on the goodwill of other sighted learners to do research, but when examinations are near, the blind are on their own.
“When we had no computer where our exams were marked by only teachers who knew how to read braille, which takes time,” Auma said.
Without sight-impaired-friendly computers, visually impaired learners have to write examinations in braille, which has to be transcribed by a braille reader for marking by sighted teachers. This method is known to consume much time and is prone to errors or omissions.
Providing relief
Recently, MTN Foundation Uganda donated 10 computers and other assistive devices worth Shs150m for the blind annex at Gulu High School in Gulu City.
These computers, together with specialized devices such as a projector, high-definition resolution scanner, printer, and internet were installed in partnership with Sense International Uganda.
The computers were installed with Duxbury braille translator software to produce the work in braille for visually impaired students to read.
This software includes; Job Access With Speech (JAWS) software that helps the visually impaired students to type words using a computer keyboard as they hear what they have typed, and a Victor reader software that allows the learners to record teachers during lessons, and save and play them during revision time.
Now in Senior Two, Auma said she can “type class exercises or exams using a computer, print and give to other [sighted] teachers,” Auma said.
Samson Anyanze, is a visually impaired Advanced Level student studying literature as part of his subject combinations.
Anyanze had limited access to novels and other texts to aid his learning, as well as research in the library. But now, Anyanze and 44 other learners with visual impairment at the school have computers installed with JAWS and Victor readers to ease their learning.
“The computer is enabling us to do research and read books that are not in the library online,” Anyanze said.
Nobert Tommy Ocen, the Headteacher of Gulu High School commended MTN and its partners for their contribution of an ICT facility to the school.
Ocen called on stakeholders, including political leaders, parents, students, and the education department to take responsibility for maintaining and accounting for the new ICT center.
“Let’s make the most of this opportunity,” Ocen said.
Edward Otim, the country director of Sense International said they are supporting children with visual impairment to have access to information, knowledge, and skills to “equally learn at the same pace as other learners.”
Phillip Odoi, the MTN business manager for the Northern region revealed that the digital access for inclusion program with an investment of Shs800m is MTN Uganda’s broader efforts to use technology for societal development.
Odoi explained that the initiative is their commitment to integrate digital literacy and skills in the educational sector, particularly for those with special needs to affirm the company’s motto; “Together, we’re unstoppable.”
MTN Foundation Uganda has been among the partners in providing ICT in education. Over the years, MTN Foundation Uganda has established 42 ICT labs in educational institutions nationwide, including six technical institutes such as Amelo Technical Institute in Adjumani District, St. Simon Peter’s Vocational Training Centre in Hoima District, and St. Daniel Comboni Polytechnic in Moroto District.
Gulu High School is the fifth inclusive school to benefit from the ICT materials after Salaama School for the Blind in Mukono, Ngora School for the Deaf in Ngora District, Masaka School for the Deaf, and Hornby High School in Kabale District.
Ratifying the global standards
In July 2018, Uganda became the 38th country in the world to ratify the Marrakesh Treaty to ease access to published or printed materials for the blind and visually impaired.
The Marrakesh treaty was adopted in June 2013 in Marrakesh, Morocco, with the main goal of setting mandatory limitations and exceptions for the blind and visually impaired, or those with a physical disability that limits them from holding or manipulating a book.
However, learners with visual impairment in schools across the country still struggle to access materials available in formats usable by the sight impaired such as braille.
There are only a limited number of published texts, which limit their education and employment.
The 2014 Uganda National Population and Housing Census put the number of visually impaired persons in the country at 2.1 million, forming part of the 10 percent of the world population without access to all published materials, according to the World Blind Union.
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