Parents of Deaf learners say the education system needs a complete overhaul to give their kids a better experience in the classroom.
It follows an Ombudsman report highlighting issues around ensuring access to New Zealand Sign Language.
As a Deaf learner being in the classroom can be difficult for six-year-old Emerson.
“I have 2 children; one is hearing one is Deaf. My Deaf child can't access the same education that my hearing child can,” said Willa Hand, Emerson’s mum.
Bridget Ferguson, a mum of two children who're Deaf, shares those concerns.
“Kids in the mainstream are isolated and they get intermittent support from really dedicated professionals but it’s not full-time access to their classroom or their school environment all day everyday,” she said.
Her daughter Zoe experienced similar barriers first-hand.
“I was often taken out of the class so then I wasn't connecting with other peers."
Now the Ombudsman's criticised the Education Ministry's strategy to improve the experience of Deaf learners who rely on sign language.
“It was too aspirational. It lacked the actual accountability and the visibility of steps if you like what was to be done by a certain point in time so that we could measure or the Deaf community could measure achievements, you see these are people waiting to receive the education that they are entitled to in law,” Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier said.
“It's been a long time coming so it's incredibly encouraging to have the report out and it doesn't say anything I think the Deaf community and Deaf parents didn't already suspect but it's great to see that they are acknowledging the gaps that are missing in education for Deaf children in NZSL,” said Hand.
The Ministry's now tasked with making changes.
“What we recommended was that the Ministry of Education revise its strategy, go back and make it much more functional much clearer as to who would be responsible for what and when so that people could actually see visibility,” said Boshier.
The Ministry says it's accepted the Ombudsman's report and recommendations and will work to progress the development of New Zealand Sign Language in education.
For Willa she hopes that doesn’t take long.
“I don't want my kid who's six to have to wait another 10 years for this to come into play for him, so getting some tangible action and quickly is important,” she said.
Many want to see even more action.
“Complete overhaul of the Deaf education system to bring it in to line with Kura Kaupapa model where there's language immersion opportunities where there's culture, community coming together with the kids to learn the language and the culture but in a Deaf context,” said Bridget Ferguson.
Zoe Ferguson, now working in Christchurch, hopes to see changes for the next generation.
“Who knows I might have a Deaf child in the future so we want that system to change so that other Deaf children can learn who they are their identity and to not feel alone."
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