Haiti - Social : What we offer to blind to succeed ?

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Haiti - Social : What we offer to blind to succeed ?
26/03/2014 12:29:05

According to the standards of the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 80,000 people are blind in Haiti, or nearly 1% of the Haitian population. "If it is just necessary that the building is accessible for a child living with motor disabilities, have access to education, visually impaired require special equipment adapted to their learning," stressed Dr. Michel A. Pean of the Haitian Society for Aid to the Blind (SHAA), "their fragility is higher compared to those with physical limitations, they do not see and that makes all the difference."

Knowledge of Braille, tactile writing technique is a prerequisite for the blind child, who must master it at maximum before initiating regular schools.

According to Dr Péan, as important is the Braille, for people with blindness, this technique is not really popularized and taught in Haiti. The teaching of Braille is made in a limited framework ; the institutions that teach it are very few, only a few thousand children and young blind, old enough to be in school are taught through these institutions. Recalling that in Centre St Vincent, blind students are introduced to the system from an early age. SHAA present in various departments of the country, teaches blind children and adults, as part of their literacy program.

In the opinion of Donald Estor, Professor of 6th year fundamental at St. Vincent Center for Handicapped Children, blind from birth, teaching of Braille is a complicated process, even more difficult when teachers do not master all aspects of the system, as is the case with most specialized teachers in Haiti...

The teacher, however, is the only one able to help its students, because parents are completely unaware of this form of writing that can interpret their children. In addition, some students in this category "lucky" having access to the teaching of Braille, do not have the appropriate equipment to improve their learning. Only a few dozen continue their education at the secondary and university in regular institutions. "The resources we have in Haiti are not enough" but recognizing, however the efforts in the sectors concerned with the presence of itinerant teachers in educational institutions ; of documents suitable for vocal version ; a sound library available in SHAAestablished with the support of various partners, including the Office of the Secretary of State for the Integration of Persons with Disabilities (BSEIPH) and other similar projects.

Meanwhile, the BSEIPH and the Commission on School Adaptation and Social Support (CASAS) of the Ministry of National Education, accompany directly of
student blind or indirectly by supporting the specialized agencies, to enable them to continue their studies.

The BSEIPH, recalls that Article 39 of the Act on the Integration of Persons with Disabilities requires the Ministry of Education to encourage the learning of Braille in educational institutions, specialized or regular. Meanwhile, the State in order to facilitate access to information for the blind, is required to proceed to issue all official documents in Braille (Art. 84, Law on Integration of People with Disabilities).

HL/ HaitiLibre