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Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa, has called on the government to increase investment in social protection, economic empowerment, and educational programs that directly support Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).
Speaking as the chief guest at the Uganda National Association of the Deaf’s (UNAD) Golden Jubilee celebration and fundraising gala held at Mestil Hotel in Kampala on Friday, 22nd September 2023, Tayebwa pledged to become “a full-time partner of the Deaf community and an advocate for PWDs.”
“How come we build for others, but when it comes to the Deaf and other PWDs, we hold private fundraising events? Aren’t they taxpayers? Aren’t they Ugandans too?” Tayebwa questioned. He emphasized the need for the government to allocate dedicated funds in the national budget to support the Deaf and other persons with special needs.
He further committed to organizing a meeting with the Minister of Education and Sports, Hon. Janet Museveni, UNAD representatives, and Members of Parliament representing PWDs. The meeting would focus on addressing challenges in special needs education and exploring the establishment of a skilling center for the Deaf.
According to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics, there are approximately 1.2 million Deaf individuals in the country, accounting for about 3% of Uganda’s total population. Alarmingly, over 90% of Deaf adults are believed to have never attended school.
Recent Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) results highlight this educational gap. Of the 2,257 pupils with disabilities who sat the exams, those with hearing impairments performed the worst. Among the 263 Deaf pupils, none passed in Division One; only 50 attained Division Two, 41 Division Three, 56 Division Four, and 116 were ungraded.
UNAD attributes this poor performance to limited funding and a shortage of qualified sign language teachers in schools.
Tayebwa assured stakeholders that he would follow up on the issues raised, praising the Deaf community’s 50-year journey as “a very beautiful story.” He also commended development partners and the private sector for their continued support of PWDs.
“We must put in place the necessary measures and regulations to ensure the needs of the Deaf and other PWDs are addressed,” he said. “I commit to working with the relevant ministries to ensure effective implementation of the Disability Act.”
Meanwhile, Minister of State for Gender, Labour and Social Development (Disability Affairs), Hon. Hellen Asamo, urged Parliament to support efforts by the Ministry of Public Service to deploy sign language interpreters across all public institutions.
“The recognition of sign language as an official language in Uganda’s Constitution is crucial,” she emphasized. “It is key to including the Deaf community in Uganda’s Vision 2040 and achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals of leaving no one behind.”
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