-Graduates 127 Teachers
By Mark N. Mongonfia
Students living with hearing impediment in Liberia have every reason to smile, because the Standard Teacher Training Institute (STTI) has launched a Sign Language program to train deaf teachers, who will address the needs of students with special conditions.
The program was launched on over the weekend in the St. Paul Bridge Community in Monrovia’s Bushrod Island suburb during the graduation of the STTI.
Officially launching the program, Assistant Minister for Revenue & Tax Policy, Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, T. Ojuku Nyenpan said that the new program is a positive step in the right direction.
The Assistant Minister indicated that students with special needs should be treated with care and respect.
Mr. Nyenpan praised the administrators at the STTI for their far sightedness in thinking about people living with disabilities in the Liberian society by creating a program that will address their special educational needs.
The Assistant Finance Minister, who proxy for Finance Minister proper, Samuel Tweh, instructed the STTI family to do a budget to be submitted for support for the teacher training program in Sign Language for those with hearing impediment.
“The Minister would have loved to be here, but he had some issues to settle. He told me to ask you people to do a budget to see how best we can support this program,” he added.
The graduation program was attended by government officials and other dignitaries including Assistant Education Minister, Director of Teacher Education.
The Director of the STTI, Rev. Andrew S. Fayiah said that his institution felt the need to introduce such a program in order to help Liberian students with disability.
“Our program will train those teachers who will in return help our kids with disability,” he added.
Rev. Fayiah has promised to ensure that teachers get the level of training required to better the educational system of Liberia.
He said since the establishment of the institution, the STTI has impacted thousands of teachers in the country.