Harare Poly enrols people with disabilities

Wilson Waison
HARARE Polytechnic School of Journalism has enrolled students with hearing impairment for the 2022 academic year to promote inclusivity in the media fraternity.

This is in line with the Government’s move on the inclusion of people with disability (PWD) in all sectors and institutions.

With the assistance from Deaf Zimbabwe Trust (DZT), the institution enrolled three students with a hearing impairment.

DZT provided Harare Polytechnic School of Journalism with an interpreter, to assist the lecturing staff with sign language, since the existing teaching staff had no sign language skills.

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities came into place in 2006, as the main instrument for advancing the human rights of persons with disabilities.

Media communication programmes officer for Deaf Zimbabwe Trust, Tinotenda Chikunya, said the laws should be aligned with the constitution to fight discrimination faced by PWDs.

“We applaud the institution for enrolling students with hearing impairment and in an effort to improve on inclusion.

“DZT will continuously hold workshops intended to educate other media students without the requisite sign language skills,” she said.

Lecturing aid, Merlen Chamutinya, also commended the institution for enrolling media students, with a hearing impairment.

“I appreciate the principal’s effort in allowing this year’s 2022 National Certificate class to include students with a disability. The old teaching staff are cooperating well since we need to co-exist and impart knowledge to the students,” she said.

Head of Department for Mass Communication and journalism studies at Harare polytechnic, Terrence Antonio, said he was happy to be the first in line to adopt the provisions of the 2006 convention of inclusion of PWD in the department.

“Students with disabilities are just like the rest of the other students, we treat them alike, without segregating or alienating them.

“The students are progressing well and the academic environment is conducive since DZT ensured the institution would have an experienced and expert interpreter, who is also passionate to get the students informed, and imparted with journalistic knowledge,” he said.