By M.A. Egge
The printing machine for visually impaired people otherwise known as a Bralle press has been acquired for the first time in the country.
This is a respite that comes with a great sigh of relief since, for the first time again, the visually impaired students will be able to have school books tailored to aid in facilitating their reading and writing through the availability if applicable Braille tools.
A happy and elated Education Minister Hon. Ahmed Mohamed Diriye alias Toorno noted that the direly needed machine is a milestone that will greatly address the sector of the visually impaired needs quite amply as he officially handed the Braille press to the national curriculum department.
A historical fete for the Ministry of Education and Science, the books and subsequent prints will be published by the National Curriculum department.
The minister said that the constant questions asked by the deserving students with this special need was when would the printing machine be available to capacitate their education.
He said. “Every school that has special needs related to sight issues, whether it’s Borama, Burao, Hargeisa or wherever we went, the stark question was when the Braille machine would be available”.
“We are grateful to UNICEF for focusing on priority areas such as these, hence to be able to print the curriculum for students in Braille”, he added.
Pointing out that people who are visually impaired have the rights to basic needs, he urged the entire community of Somaliland to see to it that the special needs required and assistance to them is availed whenever and wherever possible.