Govt promises to support blind people learn computers

THE government has promised to find ways
of supporting people with eye problems to
learn computers and be able to benefit from
the advancement of technology.
The Deputy Minister for Communication,
Science and Technology, January Makamba ,
said in Dar es Salaam yesterday that the
matter is a challenge to the government and
his ministry in particular .
He was closing a two-week computer
training by using assistive technology to
people with poor eye sight and those
suffering from blindness . The training was
conducted at the Open University of
Tanzania (OUT ) premises and sponsored by
Sightsavers and the Tanzania Education
Authority (TEA) .
“ This successful training has posed a
challenge to the government and my
ministry to look for ways of collaborating
with other stakeholders so that the
education will reach more people in the
country ,” he said.
He noted that the technology known as
“ dolphin pen” used in offering the training
was a challenge as it uses English language
as well as the expenses involved in
procuring the technology .
“ I will contact responsible departments to
see how we can go about tackling these
challenges in a bid to reach as many people
as possible, ” he said. The Sightsaver Country
Director , Mr Gosbert Katunzi said the total
costs of training one person plus one set of
gadgets is 3 m/ -.
“ From the survey we have conducted so far ,
there are over 400 people with eye
problems who are eligible for this training in
the country, ” he said . He noted that in
2011 , the company in collaboration with
OUT and TEA trained 14 persons, in 2012
(27 ) and this year , 15 were trained and
provided with computers installed with the
assistive technology .
“ We have information that seven out of
those who went through our training in
2011 have secured employment in some
reputable companies in the country and are
doing fine,” he said.
The Training Facilitator , Mr Jacob Chawala ,
who is also blind and a teacher at Butimba
Teachers College in Mwanza said the training
was resourceful as it brings about self
reliance .
“ Before coming here, most of these learners
were dependent as they needed someone to
come and write for them but they are now
able to write and send information on the
internet and use various programmes on the
computer ,” he said.