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DIMAPUR — A fifteen-day certificate course on sign language with specific reference to Nagaland sign language was held at State Council of Educational Research And Training (SCERT) conference hall in Kohima from October 20 to November 11.
An update from SCERT stated that its senior lecturer, Daniel Thong Seb, chaired the inaugural function and gave a brief introduction, while the SCERT director, Kevirale-ü Kerhou, welcomed the international resource persons including Christina Walling, principal of Deaf Biblical Ministry (DBM), Rebecca, DBM international team from USA, Jaireen, DBM international team from Sikkim, Amongla Walling, administrator and co-founder of DBM, Dimapur.
Kerhou also welcomed the trainee officers from NBSE, Samagrah Shiksha, SCERT, DIET, government and private schools and NGOs.
She stated that the DBM, Dimapur, has contributed a lot in sign language adding that over the years they have also worked with SCERT in several workshops.
The report stated that a module developed by SCERT and DBM, Dimapur, was jointly released by Amongla Walling, Christina Walling, Kevirale-ü Kerhou, Kerüüpfeü Rüpreo and Daniel Thong Seb.
It mentioned that the certificate course in sign language with specific reference to Nagaland sign language was a unique and one of the first of its kind so far. It added that all the signs were contributed by the deaf community with DBM taking the lead role.
“Taking in cognition of the principle of the NEP 2020 where the local sign language is to be respected, we have jointly organized this course to popularize our local sign language,” Kerhou said.
Delivering the keynote address, Christina Walling, expressed gratitude to SCERT, Nagaland, for jointly organising the programme and assured that the training would be a fruitful one. She stressed on the use of correct terms for addressing the deaf people and requested the trainees to be empathetic towards them.
Daniel Thong Seb has explained about the strategy involved in the certificate course, starting with two days contact training followed with 15 days of assignment at inclusive schools where the trainees would perform their assignments.
At the end of fifteen days, the head of the school would certify their assignments by signing and giving their official seal for approval. The certificate with completed assignments would enable them to join another course on Master’s level sign language and interpreter. The certificate would also be one the criteria to join the master trainer course, which would be introduced later on.
It stated that the team of international trainers patiently did their best to help the trainees and expressed their pleasure on the teaching and learning experience. They advised the trainees to keep on practicing to retain the new sign language which they have learned and expressed hope to see them at the master level trainer and interpreter course.
During the valedictory programme, Pekruzeto Kesiezie, additional director of SCERT, opined that he was impressed to see the trainees communicating in sign language.
He thanked the trainers for the excellent job they have done and to the trainees for keeping up with his expectation. He further expressed his gratitude to the controlling officers for deputing officers and teachers from NBSE, Samagrah Shiksha, government and private schools, NGOs also officers from DIET and SCERT.