RAMALLAH, July 27, 2009 (WAFA)- Asma'a Anqawi from the PRCS Total Communication School sat for and obtained the Palestinian High School Certificate 'Tawjihi' with a general average of 76.2% (Literary Stream), becoming the first deaf student ever to pass the exam and to obtain the Tawjihi certificate in Palestine.

Based on the right of deaf students to education, Asma'a sat for the Tawjihi exams hoping to succeed, start her university education and prove that her hearing-impairment will not stand in the way of her education. Ever since she joined PRCS in 1993, Asma'a persisted in her determination to succeed and sat for the exam with two other deaf students. Through her success, Asma'a proved to everyone that a hearing-impairment does not mean a mental handicap.

At a ceremony held to congratulate Asma'a, Dr. Younis Al Khatib, PRCS President, said that her success is not only a success for PRCS but for Palestinians in general in their efforts to integrate people with disabilities and to ensure they become active citizens. This achievement, he said, proves the soundness of PRCS' policy to care for disabled persons, to provide them with the best programs and to educate and rehabilitate them so that they overcome their disability and succeed. He added that PRCS shall continue to care for this category of the Palestinian society and shall reinforce its programs and activities aimed at rehabilitating them and facilitating their integration. He wished Asma'a all success in her university studies.

A very happy Asma'a took the floor to say that her success comes as a result of great efforts over several years with support from her parents and the PRCS' Total Communication Center. Asma'a, whose signs were interpreted by a teacher, said that her success despite all hardships is a message to society in general and to deaf students in particular telling them that they are capable of finishing their education just like other students. She added that deaf students enjoy great mental capacities and urged fellow students to walk in her path and to finish their education. She also called on Palestinians to pay more attention to this category, and hoped to see the number of deaf students sitting for the Tawjihi exam increase in the future. Speaking about her future education, Asma'a hoped to study English literature or geography at Birzeit university and to become a teacher for the deaf, helping them reach high levels of education.

In the same vein, Samira Badarneh, head of the PRCS' Total Communication Center, said that PRCS shall help Asma'a in her university studies by providing her with a sign language interpreter throughout her university studies. 'This is a success for Palestine in general as Asma'a is the first deaf student to pass the Tawjihi exams with success. This boosts the morale of all those who work in the field of rehabilitation and capacity development and encourages them to increase attention given to this category in order to ensure their integration in society', she added. Badarneh also said this achievement shall help change society's perception of disabled persons and encourage parents of disabled children to educate their offspring and to believe in them and in their capacities.

Teacher Sawsan As'ad who was Asma'a's Arabic teacher since grade seven said that her success comes as a result of her efforts as well as efforts by teachers and PRCS staff in previous years. She added that Asma'a, throughout her studies at the Total Communication School, was a very serious student and was amongst the first to volunteer to help other deaf students in her classroom.

Asma'a's mother Aziza, who has four other deaf children, spoke about the huge efforts made by her daughter throughout her school years. She was certain her daughter would succeed, she said, and is very proud of this achievement. She thanked PRCS in general and the Total Communication School in particular for its efforts and called upon parents to increase support to their deaf offspring and to help them continue their studies.

It is to be noted that Asma'a sat for the Tawjihi exams with two other deaf students who were not as successful as she was.

PRCS' Total Communication Program and Center for the deaf comprises, in addition to the Total Communication School, a comprehensive program for the rehabilitation and integration of the deaf through community-based awareness raising programs, sign-language dissemination programs and rehabilitation programs targeting parents of deaf students to shape more positive attitudes towards them, in addition to training programs for teachers and for university students preparing diplomas related to this field. The total number of students at PRCS' centers for the deaf is 327 students from both sexes studying at four centers in Ramallah, Nablus, Bani Na'im (Hebron) and Gaza.