Tanzania Education Authority Promises to Support Blind People Learn Computers

Tanzania Education Network

THE government has promised to find ways of supporting people with eye problems to learn computers and be able to benefit from the advancement of technology.

The Deputy Minister for Communication, Science and Technology, January Makamba, said in Dar es Salaam yesterday that the matter is a challenge to the government and his ministry in particular.

He was closing a two-week computer training by using assistive technology to people with poor eye sight and those suffering from blindness. The training was conducted at the Open University of Tanzania (OUT) premises and sponsored by Sightsavers and the Tanzania Education Authority (TEA).

"This successful training has posed a challenge to the government and my ministry to look for ways of collaborating with other stakeholders so that the education will reach more people in the country," he said.

He noted that the technology known as "dolphin pen" used in offering the training was a challenge as it uses English language as well as the expenses involved in procuring the technology.

"I will contact responsible departments to see how we can go about tackling these challenges in a bid to reach as many people as possible," he said. The Sightsaver Country Director, Mr Gosbert Katunzi said the total costs of training one person plus one set of gadgets is 3m/-.

"From the survey we have conducted so far, there are over 400 people with eye problems who are eligible for this training in the country," he said. He noted that in 2011, the company in collaboration with OUT and TEA trained 14 persons, in 2012 (27) and this year, 15 were trained and provided with computers installed with the assistive technology.

"We have information that seven out of those who went through our training in 2011 have secured employment in some reputable companies in the country and are doing fine," he said.

The Training Facilitator, Mr Jacob Chawala, who is also blind and a teacher at Butimba Teachers College in Mwanza said the training was resourceful as it brings about self reliance.

"Before coming here, most of these learners were dependent as they needed someone to come and write for them but they are now able to write and send information on the internet and use various programmes on the computer," he said