Kusini Kwetu

By Vincent Mpepo

The Open University of Tanzania (OUT) has conducted training on awareness and understanding of Sign Language for its frontline administrative staff who interact directly with clients, including people with hearing impairments, with the goal of improving communication and service delivery.

Speaking at the official opening of the training held recently in Dar es Salaam, the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Learning Technologies and Regional Services, Professor Leonard Fweja said the training is a significant step that demonstrates the university’s commitment to offering inclusive education services, emphasizing that information is the foundation of communication in society.

“As we all know, our society comprises people facing various challenges, but there are always ways to overcome these challenges through communication,” said Prof. Fweja

He added that communication facilitates the efficient delivery, provision of services and enhances cognitive functioning.

Head of the Department of Linguistics and Literary Studies, Dr. Zelda Elisifa urged participants to continue practicing what they had learned to reinforce their understanding, warning that without continuous use, the knowledge would fade and the training would become ineffective.

She said the university plans to integrate Sign Language interpretation into all services and programmes by June 2026.

“To achieve this goal, our department prioritized secretaries and reception staff for this opportunity to acquire basic skills in Tanzanian Sign Language (TSL),” said Dr. Elisifa.

A participant from the Directorate of Student Services, Mwanawetu Mbonde expressed appreciation to the department and the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences for organizing and facilitating the training as the skills acquired would enhance their ability to serve clients from all groups, including the deaf community.

Mbonde suggested that the training duration be extended and possibly conducted outside the regular work environment to allow participants to fully concentrate, as it was challenging for some to attend sessions while simultaneously handling office responsibilities.

On her side, a staff member from the University Library Directorate,Khadija Katele recommended that the number of participants from her directorate be increased in future sessions, emphasizing that the library serves a broad user base, including people with hearing impairments.

The two-day training was facilitated by Daud Gamba, Head of Deaf Section and Sign Language Interpretation at the University of Dar es Salaam’s Centre for Disability Services (CDS).

The training aimed to achieve three core objectives: first, to deepen participants’ knowledge and understanding of deafness, Tanzanian Sign Language, and the essential communication needs of the deaf community.

Another key objective was to equip participants with practical, everyday communication techniques for engaging effectively with deaf individuals, helping to minimize communication barriers within the OUT community and finally was to empower them with strategies to promote an inclusive and supportive environment for all forms of communication.