Tema: The Tema Bench Bar and Police Prosecution have sensitised students of the Tetteh Ocloo State School for the Deaf at Adjei Kojo on legal education, their rights and responsibilities.
According to Ghana News Agency, the association also donated various essential items to the school, including bags of rice, a gallon of oil, two cartons of tomato paste, mathematical sets, and bottles of water. The Tetteh Ocloo State School for the Deaf, which serves 345 pupils, offers all Basic Education courses except for Ghanaian languages and French, alongside some Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) courses.
Mr. Emmanuel Kumadey, the coordinator for the association and a legal practitioner, emphasized the association’s mission to visit schools within the Tema area to promote legal education and encourage students to avoid social vices and focus on their studies. He highlighted the unique experience of engaging with the Tetteh Ocloo State School for the Deaf, where the first deaf lawyer shared his experiences to motivate the pupils.
Mr. Kumadey acknowledged the significant challenges faced by special individuals such as the deaf in courtrooms and police stations. To address these, the association and judges are advocating for interpreters in all public institutions to facilitate effective communication and bridge the communication gap.
Her Ladyship Justice Janet Anima Maafo, Supervising High Court Judge at the Tema High Court, and Her Ladyship Justice Maleek Wanya-Dey, a High Court Judge at the Lands Division, urged the students to avoid social vices, stressing that the legal system does not differentiate based on disabilities and that offenders will face consequences regardless of communication barriers.
Mr. Isaac Arthur, Headmaster of the Tetteh Ocloo State School for the Deaf, expressed gratitude to the association for educating and inspiring the students. He emphasized the importance of teaching sign language in training schools and universities and welcomed anyone interested in learning it at the school. Mr. Arthur highlighted the prevalent issue of miscommunication faced by the deaf in public spaces due to the lack of interpreters, urging public institutions to employ sign language interpreters to improve communication with the hearing impaired.