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22 September 2021 | Story Michelle Nöthling | Photo Supplied
Emily Matabane.

“I love teaching hearing people Sign Language,” Emily immediately mentions when asked about herself, “so that they can communicate with Deaf people and work with them.” Part of her passion, though, was borne from personal hardship. Emily had a difficult experience when she entered the work environment in 2000, since she was the only Deaf person among an all-hearing staff. Can one even begin to imagine the frustration and isolation she must have experienced? It is no wonder, then, that her vision is for Deaf people to have equal access to information, and for the hearing and Deaf to be able to communicate with each other more freely. And the latter she is pursuing with all her energy.

“When I started working as a Teaching Assistant in the UFS Department of South African Sign Language (SASL) and Deaf Studies,” Emily recalls, “few students were interested in studying Sign Language, because they were not aware of Deaf people and Sign Language.” This has started to change, though, as Emily is noticing a drastic increase in the number of UFS students enrolling for SASL. “I am now familiar with a lot of hearing student who have done Sign Language at our university, and they are very friendly when I meet them. Also, because they are able to greet me in Sign Language!” It is important to note that the department teaches SASL modules to both Deaf and hearing students (and staff) who want to learn the language – which is now also available as an online option.

As a second-year student studying BEd, Emily has formed a close relationship with CUADS (Centre for Universal Access and Disability Support) at the UFS. “CUADS is doing a great job in assisting students with disabilities and catering for their needs. They assist students to have access to education on the same level as other students without disabilities.”

Sign Language is of vital importance to the Deaf community, since it is the language of accessibility for Deaf people. “We are proud and acknowledge Sign Language as a medium of communication,” says Emily. “It allows us to express ourselves, and to teach and transfer our Deaf culture from one generation to the other.”

Ultimately, Emily is hopeful that Sign Language will become embraced, celebrated, and recognised as equal to the other official languages in South Africa.

News Archive

Provisional registration period extended to 30 April 2012
2012-03-25

25 March 2012

After a week of intense negotiations between the senior leadership of the University of the Free State (UFS) and the Student Representative Council (SRC) of the Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa Campuses, the SRC has managed to persuade the senior leadership to extend the provisional registration period to Monday 30 April 2012.

This means that, until 30 April 2012, no students will be deregistered for not being able to pay their provisional registration fee. The initial deadline for students to register provisionally was 6 April 2012.

The SRC requested the extension of provisional registration and the senior leadership of the UFS agreed thereto for the following reasons:

  • To allow students more time to raise the money;
  • To allow the provincial and national government, as well as NSFAS more time to respond to students’ financial needs; and
  • To allow the SRC and the university more time to consult with students with strong academic records about financial aid options outside the university.

“The SRC is glad to note that the university management values our efforts in representing our students and we've been able to leverage that advantage to negotiate an extension of the deregistration date with management. We're happy that in this case management has responded to the appeal of students through the SRC and we're exceptionally proud of our ability to push student interests to unprecedented heights,” says Mr Richard Chemaly, SRC President of the Bloemfontein Campus.

According to Mr Chemaly, the SRC is confident in their negotiation abilities. “While others might strike and protest, it is in the best interests of our students to talk to the senior leadership about important issues that are in the interests of students,” he says.

“Since our request to extend the provisional registration period was approved by the university management, the SRC has been working tirelessly to ensure that no deserving student gets deregistered. This includes setting up external funds, approaching the Premier’s office for assistance and setting up the most extensive bursary database any SRC has ever had,” Mr Chemaly says.

If there are any parents or students in need of help for provisional registration, please contact Mr Chemaly at  chemalyra@ufs.ac.za.
 

Media Release
25 March 2012
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Director: Strategic Communication
Tel: +27(0)51 401 2584
Cell: +27(0)83 645 2454
E-mail: news@ufs.ac.za

 

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