There is a deficit of interpreters for deaf students in public schools in Bogotá

Education in Colombia is a fundamental right that any boy, girl, teenager or elderly person can access, but some people need the help of professionals to accompany them in the learning process. This is the case of deaf students who need the help of interpreters to understand what the teacher in class is explaining.

For this reason, and although the State must guarantee and provide interpreters for this population of students, on February 16, 2023, the complaint was brought to the attention of certain parents who assured that there was a deficit of interpreters for deaf students in public schools in Bogotá. .

The complaint said RCR Newswho, through two mothers from seat B of the Colegio Distrital San Carlos IED, realized that the lack of interpreters is a constant year after year, which is why the learning process of their children has been night.

Beatrice Pinillosone of the mothers interviewed, asked the Education Secretary and to the Mayor of Bogotá, Claudia Lopez a quick solution to the lack of interpreters, support teachers and mediators at school.

“The truth is a call to the Secretary of Education and Mayor Claudia López to resolve this situation for us. Every year it’s the same, lack of interpreters, mediators, support teachers, it’s a situation that gets out of control. Right now the tenth and eleventh grade boys don’t have full interpretation, so it’s very worrying for us parents,” Pinillos said.

Regarding the school career, Fadid Roblesanother mother, assured that the tenth and eleventh graders are preparing to present the tests Saber 11but their children were affected by the absence of interpreters to help them understand the topics explained by the teachers of the educational institution.

“This week they sent me two reasons from the school that they were going to do the ICFES tests to prepare them, but he tells me how will he do it if there are no interpreters So we are with the support of our colleagues, because we must value that there are interpreters and that our children have the right to their education as it should be”.

Regarding complaints, the Director of Inclusion of the Ministry of Education, Virginia Torres, He assured that there is a problem with the number of interpreters the district has to meet the needs of deaf students in Bogotá because, according to Torres, the demand is high, but the supply is low.

Torres also assured that although the selection process is underway, many candidates for the position do not meet the requirements required by the entity, so they have to start another process with other candidates, which is why they are generated delays in hiring.

“We have a problem with interpreters because the demand is too high and the supply is very low. People who send their CVs today undergo a selection process and unfortunately do not meet the requirements that are required so that, effectively , they can provide appropriate and effective support to our students, ”assured the manager.

According to Law 982 of 2005, the Colombian State, through official entities, such as the Ministry of Education in this case, must guarantee and provide interpreters to deaf and deafblind people so that they can access, among other things, education in the country.

“The State will guarantee and provide the assistance of appropriate interpreters and interpreter guides so that this is a means by which deaf and deafblind people can access all the services that the Constitution grants them as Colombian citizens. For this, the State will organize through official entities and through agreements with associations of interpreters and associations of the deaf the presence of interpreters and interpreter guides”, dictates Law 982 of 2005.