Deaf Education

Philippines

Deaf Education

There are an estimated 100 000 people living in the Philippines who are ‘hard of hearing’.  This means they can only understand words when spoken very loudly close to the ear and have severe difficulties if there are ambient noises.  Innovations such as hearing aids, telecommunication devices, the Philippine Dictionary of Signs and nationally televised sign programs have dramatically improved the quality of life for many hearing impaired Filipinos, yet there is still some progress to be made in assimilating deaf children into the education system. 

In the absence of any specialised deaf schools outside the major cities, a learning centre was set up to provide deaf children with a basic education.  More recently, education has diversified into contextually relevant income-generation initiatives including animal husbandry, milling, sewing and carpentry to teach children vocational skills and to subsidise running costs for eventual self-sufficiency.

Key Areas of Expenditure

  • Scholarships for deaf children and young adults
  • Teacher training programs
  • Building and facility upgrades
  • Educational resource provision including computers, libraries and an audiometer
  • Vocational training equipment
  • Sign language classes
  • Community sports and cultural activities
  • Support network development
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