Wits University to host the 25th International Congress on the Education of the Deaf
- Wits University
International Congress on the Education of the Deaf makes its way to Africa.
The Wits Centre for Deaf Studies (CFDS) will host the 2030 International Congress on the Education of the Deaf. The announcement was made on 10 July at the 24th Congress held in Rome, Italy.
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The International Congress on the Education of the Deaf is a global conference held every five years for educators and professionals engaged in Deaf Education. It serves as a platform to share research, ideas, and best practices for educating Deaf and hard-of-hearing students.
“We are thrilled to host the 25th International Congress on the Education of the Deaf,” says Prof. Claudine Storbeck, Director of the Centre for Deaf Studies. “This is a great feat not only for our Centre and the University, but for Deaf Education in South Africa and the rest of the continent. This will go a long way in helping us to achieve our goal of equipping, developing and improving the lives of Deaf and Hard of Hearing people across their lifespan in order to foster equal education for all.”
Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, the Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Wits University, adds: “The Wits Centre for Deaf Studies is undoubtedly changing the world for good. It is our belief as Witsies that through our academic excellence, research and innovation as well as teaching and learning, that we can advance society and generate positive impact. We are ready to welcome the International Congress on the Education of the Deaf and its allies to Wits, to Johannesburg, and to Africa.”
必博娱乐,比博娱乐网址 the Wits Centre for Deaf Studies
The internationally recognised Centre, based at the Wits Education Campus in Parktown, is renowned for its excellence in Deaf Studies across Africa and the Global South. For 27 years, the Centre has pioneered work in Deaf Studies, including Deaf Education, Sign Bilingualism, South African Sign Language (SASL), paediatric hearing loss, early intervention and infant development.
Deafness is one of the most prevalent disabilities in South Africa, with as many as 1.4 million people living with some form of hearing loss. Just over 25 years ago, there was no professional training available for teachers of the Deaf and the Deaf Federation of South Africa (DeafSA) reported that 66% of Deaf people in the country were functionally illiterate.
Today, an estimated 300?000 to 400?000 Deaf people in South Africa use South African Sign Language (SASL) as their first language. When the Centre was launched 27 years ago, its primary aim was to train educators to become teachers of excellence in Deaf Education, grounded in the belief that education is key to unlocking a brighter future for Deaf people.