• The Bill provides for the use of sign language in judicial proceedings, schools and public institutions
• The Kenyan Sign Language to be offered as a discipline of study at technical and vocational training institutions, public colleges and public universities.
The Kenya Sign Language will be recognised as an official mode of communication in courts, government offices and schools if a proposal before the Senate is approved.
The proposal is meant to integrate the deaf into society and to ensure they get equal opportunities with the rest of society.
"This Bill provides for the use of sign language in judicial proceedings, schools and public institutions to ensure that deaf learners are given the same opportunities as other learners to be productive in the society," it reads.
It involves both visual and tactile signs and symbols including body movement.
It is the first step to nationalise the little known Kenya Sign language – the language used by the deaf to express themselves and communicate with others.
The Bill is a joint effort of Senators Gertrude Museruve and Margaret Kamar. It was first introduced in the Senate in July and has gone through the first reading.
It proposes that government institutions provide free interpretation in the Kenya Sign Language to offer services to those who need it.
If approved, sign language will be used in legal proceedings.
The proposal wants the Education Ministry to ensure that parents, siblings and grandparents of a child who is deaf are provided with lessons on the Kenya Sign Language for ease of communication.
It says the integration of those with hearing impairment is vested on the Education Ministry which should develop a common form of the sign language to be developed into classroom lessons.
"The Kenya Institute for Curriculum Development shall develop, review and approve appropriate programmes, curricula and curriculum support materials for learners who are deaf and hard of hearing," the document reads.
The Education CS will further ensure that the Kenyan Sign Language is offered as a discipline of study in technical and vocational training institutions, public colleges and public universities.
"Ensure development of supportive instructional materials for the education of deaf learners and learners who are hard of hearing," the document reads.
Kenya ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2008. The convention requires countries to eliminate all forms of discrimination against disabled people.
In addition, the 2010 Constitution calls for the promotion of the use of sign language so that the deaf have access to information.
As at the moment, little has been done to conform to the constitutional requirement with the exception of media compliance through the selective introduction of interpreters for television programmes.
According to government data, about 800,000 Kenyan have one form of hearing impairment or another.