BOTSWANA ASSOCIATION OF THE DEAF QUESTIONS SIGN LANGUAGE CONSULTATION

Article By Thabang Metsimabe

The Botswana Association of the Deaf says government should have consulted them more on the proposed recognition of sign language.

BOAD representative Fredrick Kololo says research conducted with the previous government on indigenous languages recommended that sign language be recognised and taught in schools.

He says the association does not know what happened to the report after the change in government.

Kololo says they were therefore surprised to hear about the current proposal in Parliament saying government needs to consult them because sign language is not the same across Botswana’s different cultures.

However, Kololo says they welcome the development and hope it will advance sign language in Botswana.