New school for deaf children has been officially opened in Galkayo town in central Somalia.
It is the only school of its kind opened in Mudug region since the fall Somali central government in 1990s.
The school located at Howlwadag neighbourhood is dedicated to help hearing impaired children in the region who have not been getting educational services as there was no special school across the region.
The founder and the head teacher of the school, Waris Abdullahi Shirwa’a said several young well-wishers have collaborated for establishment of the school following long-term assessment over the need for special education for the deaf children in the town and its environs.
“It is heartbreaking to see deaf children staying at home, watching other siblings going off to school, We therefore decided to start it [ the school] voluntarily and fund it from our pockets,” said Shirwa’a.
Shirwa’a said the number of the students have been increasing gradually since the school was opened two months ago.
“The number of the students has increased from the date we opened the school. Now the number of the students stands at 30 as we are waiting for more in the forthcoming months,” the headmistress expressed hopefully, “They are so eager and happy to be at school.”
The school currently employs one teacher who is hearing impaired, according Shirwa’a.
“We have employed a qualified teacher from Mogadishu who is also hearing impaired,” she noted.
She has appealed to Somali well wishers and organizations to help the schools for children with special needs.
Somalia which recovering over two decades old civil war has very few functioning schools for the children with disabilities
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