COURSERA courses available for the deaf community

Minister of Human Services and Social Security Dr.Vindhya Persaud is encouraging members of the deaf community to seize the opportunity and apply for special courses offered by COURSERA – a partnership between the Ministry of Education and the Commonwealth of Learning where free access to online courses are offered by reputable United States of America universities to Guyanese.

The deadline is October 30, 2020.

As an advocate for equal opportunities, Minister Persaud conferred with Education Minister Priya Manickchand following a meeting with the Deaf Association of Guyana on September 4, 2020, and lobbied for the inclusion of specialized courses that targeted individuals with hearing impairments and other disabilities.

During the September 4 meeting, the Association’s representatives made an appeal to Minister Persaud for support with training and job opportunities.

“It is imperative that these individuals, who are desirous of advancing their professional skillsets are not excluded, and be given opportunities to access career prospects,” Minister Persaud stated.

“And I am so pleased that right away training and education are available through this avenue for this special community.”

Minister Persaud also reaffirmed her Ministry’s commitment to support vulnerable groups including the deaf and pledged that the Ministry will work with the public and private sectors to ensure that these individuals are gainfully employed and be remunerated fairly.

One young lady, who has a speech impairment was enthused that such an opportunity was available.

“I am so happy for the opportunity from COURSERA! I am really hoping for a job after my studies.”

Interested persons can visit the website: https://learner.coursera.help/hc/en-us/articles/208280056-Accommodations-for-learners-with-disabilities for additional information.

To benefit from the free certificate opportunity, Persaud is therefore urging individuals to apply early.