THE Guyana Society for the Blind (GSB) will, within the next two weeks, begin its Braille classes – an eight-week programme entailing four hours of classes per week that will benefit 12 registered visually impaired persons, 10 of whom sat the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations a few weeks ago.

The course, to be conducted by experienced Braille teachers who are also visually impaired, will entail two categories: Grade 1, which will focus on the alphabet and the foundation of reading; and Grade 2, which will focus on in-depth reading.

This initiative was fostered by the One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) Region Two Office through a bequest of $200,000 given to the Blind Society last week. The funds immediately gave rise to the Braille classes, and aims to create more similarly beneficial initiatives for visually impaired persons.

Ganesh Singh, Executive member of the Blind Society, in an invited comment, told the Guyana Chronicle: “Although we are moving electronically for blind persons to communicate, Braille will always be here, and it is essential for all blind persons to know Braille.”

This initiative apart, the Guyana Society for the Blind (GSB) is currently registering persons who are visually impaired and have other disabilities, preferably physical, to sit the 2015 May-June CSEC examinations.
Written By Shivanie Sugrim