It was a very sad scene over the weekend in Paynesville City outside Monrovia when the father of a deaf and dumb child Mr. Emmanuel Sackie burst in tears for the fate of his child’s education at the offices of the Organization for the Social Integration of Liberian deaf.
Mr. Sackie, who arrived at the OSILD headquarters situated along Police Academy Road in Paynesville City, said he was there to inquire from the organization whether its boarding school classes were still in progress.
However, upon being informed by authorities on the ground that the institution was only accepting deaf students for tutorial study, Mr. Sackie shared tears, lamenting that he was very discouraged that his son, who is growing up without any formal education, has been beating on him each time he sees his peers dressed in uniforms and going to school.
According to Sackie, he is worried because if his son does not have a formal education and become grown-up man tomorrow, he would not be able to adequately communicate with people and contribute to society.
He continues that the child not being in school was something serious and calls on government to increase support to OSILD, the organization that provides direct care, including education, housing and medication to deaf children and adults.
“I have been taking my son all over Monrovia, looking for deaf school to place him in but everywhere I visited, there is no sign of any deaf school besides the one operated by OSILD”, he narrates.
Emmanuel Sackie, who did not disclosed the name of the child, stressed that the situation has placed him in a confuse state of mine, not knowing what to do next about the boy’s education, describing the situation as frustrating.
Meanwhile, the National Director of OSILD Mr. Adrian Sandi has assured Mr. Sackie that the institution is doing everything humanly possible to ensure that all deaf children in Liberia acquire sound education following relocation of the institution’s boarding school in Todee District, Lower Montserrado County.
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By Emmanuel Mondaye–Editing by Jonathan Browne
