Colombo, Sept 14 (newsin.asia) – The Sri Lankan cabinet, on Thursday approved a Bill which will recognize sign language as an official language in the island country.
Following a proposal made by Minister of Social Empowerment, Welfare and Kandyan Heritage, S.B. Dissanayake, the Sri Lankan cabinet approved to recognize Sign Language for the benefit of the deaf population in the island country.
Official statistics estimate the population of deaf persons to be 389,677.
The National Policy on Disabilities has accepted that sign language is more often the only language of communication for deaf persons.
Minister Dissanayake had pointed out that official recognition of sign language will allow a deaf person access to education and have government services delivered to them without discrimination.
