NCD services praiseworthy -Dr. Sunil Jayantha Nawaratna

by Rohana Jayalal

The invaluable service rendered by National Council for Deaf to improve the social status of hearing- impaired children in the country was highly commended by Higher Education Ministry Secretary Dr. Sunil Jayantha Nawaratna at the Annual General Meeting of the National Council for the Deaf (NCD) held in Colombo last week.

Dr. Nawaratna said that hearing- impaired children are also a part of our society and they too have equal rights as other children.

These children have inborn talents and it is the duty of others to make them face social attitudes and values with confidence.

He appreciated the role played by the NCD to start various training projects in addition to their educational activities to empower the hearing impaired children to make them important citizens to our society.

The NCD conducts free hearing tests for Army, Navy, Air Force and Police personnel.

The NCD services are also benefited by children coming from the Lady Ridgeway Hospital and persons from low income groups.

The Audiology Centre of the NCD conducts lectures for Teacher Trainees on special education at the National Institute of Education (NIE), Maharagama. The NCD also conducts Parent counselling clinics and field hearing assessments on a voluntary basis. ENT Consultant and the NCD President Dr. W. Ratnayaka, Vice President Prof. Priyani Soysa, Senior Director Maud Senaratne, Director Shiranee Dissanayaka, Council Secretary Rukmani Jayasekara and Treasurer S. Pinto were also present.