46th Arab Deaf Week all set to generate awareness

SHARJAH: A number of activities as part of the 46th Arab Deaf Week started to address the current COVID-19 pandemic situation impacting the deaf people. The week-long activities started on April 20 and will last till April 27, being organised by Al Amal School for the Deaf affiliated to Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services (SCHS) under the slogan ‘People with hearing impairment face the Corona pandemic’ with the sponsorship of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Afaf Al-haridi, Director of the Al-amal School for the Deaf, has confirmed the effectiveness of the measures taken by the school since the outbreak of the pandemic, with taking safety and security measures and providing training programs for distance education for teachers, specialists and parents through the online plaform. It is consistent with the directives of Sheikha Jameela Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, who is very keen to educate persons with disabilities in accordance with international best practices.

She said, “The slogan of the forty-sixth week sheds light on deaf people facing COVID19 pandemic and the challenges that they were able to overcome”. She noted the influential role of the city in the continuation of the distance education process and the support of deaf people, their teachers and parents. Microsot Corporation has chosen the school for five consecutive years as a Showcase School. The school prepares all teachers and specialists to implement the distance education program through the training program held by the Sharjah Education Authority and the Ministry of Education via the LMS plaform and the Sharjah Academy for Special Education under the slogan (Sharjah Schools Prepare). She emphasized that Al-amal School has a previous and successful experience in the field of distance education using the smart education portal, especially since the school has been implementing the smart learning program for years as part of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Program for Smart Learning.

On this occasion, a number of public figures congratulated the deaf people (in sign language) wishing them more success and excellence in all fields. These personalities are Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Media Council, Dr. Sharif Sidqi, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at the University of Sharjah, Mohammed Ahmed Amin, Director General of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry. As well as Dr. Saeed Musabbah Al Ketbi, Chairman of the Sharjah Education Council, Thabet Salem Al Tarifi, Director General of the Sharjah City Municipality, Khaled Jassem Al Midfa, Chairman of the Commercial and Tourism Development Authority, and Ali Ahmed Al Hosani, Director of the Sharjah Special Education Authority.