Africa-Press – Angola. One hundred and fifty health professionals and agents from the Ministry of the Interior (MININT) have been participating, since Monday, at the Social Service Technicians Training School (ENFOTSS), in the municipality of Cacuaco, in a training on Angolan sign language.Promoted by the Ministries of Social Action, Family and Women’s Promotion (MASFAMU), Interior (MININT), Education (MED) and Health (MINSA), the training action takes place over a period of six weeks, with intensive training of 120 hours.
On the occasion, the Minister of Social Action, Family and Promotion of Women (MASFAMU), Ana Paula do Sacramento Neto, defended that social inclusion is the fair and progressive basis for making public services accessible.
The training, she said, represents the beginning of a new era in customer service, and she hopes that participants will put into practice all the knowledge acquired throughout the training, with a view to a more inclusive and sociable public service. Ana Paula do Sacramento Neto highlighted that in recent years, the Executive has implemented initiatives to make accessibility a national priority, from the Transport, Civil Construction and Communication sectors, with the introduction of adapted buses and trains to ensure that people with physical and other disabilities can travel safely and independently.
“The construction of access ramps, adapted elevators and accessible sanitary facilities is currently a reality in many public and private buildings”, he stressed, adding that these advances are decisive steps towards ensuring the same rights and access for all.
The training in Angolan sign language, he continued, is not just a technical learning process, but rather a commitment to respect and dignity for all citizens. “Every gesture, every sign that they learn here, is a powerful tool to strengthen understanding and connection between people,” he said.
First phase
The Secretary of State for Secondary Education, Soraya de Jesus Kalongela, reported that the first round of training began yesterday and ends on December 20, with the support of eight trainers from the Ministry of Education.
The 150 participants in this first phase, explained the Secretary of State, will be empowered with the necessary knowledge to improve relationships with people with hearing impairments. “The second and third phases are scheduled for the months of January and March,” she said.
The intention, he said, is to train 300 people in the speciality of Angolan sign language. The group of trainers, he stressed, will be coordinated by Carlos Valdez. The event was also attended by the Minister of the Interior, Manuel Homem, and the Secretaries of State for Social Action, Dina Mayimona, for Public Health, Carlos Pinto de Sousa, and for the Interior, Arnaldo Carlos.
Association receives more than 30 translation requests per year
The management of the National Association of the Deaf of Angola (ANSA) receives, annually, more than 30 requests for sign language interpretation specialists in the courts and the National Police, to facilitate communication with people with hearing disabilities.
The president of the association, Agnaldo Soares, said that the Public Administration should increasingly invest in the inclusion of sign language interpreters in all institutions, with the aim of improving the quality of communication with users, especially with people with hearing disabilities. “For this reason, we are requesting the inclusion of interpreters in all public administration positions to assist deaf people”, he said, in addition to mentioning that it will help to reduce requests and complaints in public departments.
Agnelo Soares reported that the association supervises more than 30 sign language interpreters in the country. The ANSA leader congratulated the Ministries of Social Action, Family and Women’s Promotion, Education, Health and the Interior for having promoted the training action aimed at professionals in the health sector and the different bodies of MININT.
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