The government has been asked to establish a university dedicated to the deaf.

The Kenya Society for Deaf Children (KSDC) chairman Francis Ng’ang’a said such an institution would play a big role in assisting deaf learners to pursue their dreams.

“For a long time the hearing impaired have been treated as second class citizens and they ought to be treated with the dignity they deserve. Deaf people have a lot of potential that can be exploited in making this country a better place,” he said.

Ng’ang’a at the same time urged the national and county governments to hire more persons with hearing impairment.

“Deaf people should be incorporated in government employment and like in Uasin Gishu County where there are at least 15 deaf people employed by the county government, we ask all county governments to take care of deaf people and employ some of them,” he said.

Sign language

Ng’ang’a urged the two levels of government to ensure that property belonging to persons with disabilities were protected from unscrupulous people.

He also said they will launch a campaign to have the Kenya Sign Language included in the school syllabus to enable all learners to understand it.

He said this will enable the learners to communicate with persons with hearing impairment with a view to making the language national alongside English and Kiswahili.

“Very soon we are going to lobby the government to introduce sign language in all schools so that all Kenyans will be able to communicate with deaf people,” he said.