Koudougou: The Norbert Zongo University presidency served as the setting this Friday morning for a ceremony to hand over educational materials to visually impaired student Soutongnoma Luc Ramde, enrolled in the second year of linguistics, in order to facilitate his learning and the continuation of his university studies, AIB observed.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the equipment provided includes a laptop computer equipped with adapted software, a braille keyboard, a cane, a braille tablet, braille paper, and other accessories designed to facilitate reading and note-taking for people living with a visual impairment.
The donation of this equipment follows a meeting held on February 17th between the Minister of Higher Education, Research and Innovation and the university community. During this meeting, the student explained the difficulties he faces in attending classes due to his visual impairment.
The university president, Professor Eugenie Maga, stated that the minister instructed the institution's top officials to take the necessary steps to find him suitable equipment. "Luc Ramde has a visual impairment that causes learning difficulties. During the meeting with the minister, he explained his concerns, and we were instructed to find him equipment to facilitate his studies here at the university," Professor Maga explained.
She indicated that the materials provided will allow the student to better follow the courses and prepare effectively for assessments. However, she specified that the university is continuing its efforts to acquire other complementary equipment, including a recording device to further facilitate note-taking.
The university president also emphasized that this initiative is part of the dynamic of promoting inclusion within the institution.
Roland Bicaba, the head of the department, praised the efforts made to allow the student to follow academic activities normally despite the constraints related to his disability. According to him, the organization of assessments had previously required a special arrangement. "The difficulty lay mainly in the transcription of the assessments."
The student used a data entry operator who transcribed the papers into braille. After the exam, the answers were transcribed into handwriting to be integrated with the other papers," he explained.
Visibly moved, the student recipient did not hide his satisfaction with this gesture, which he described as a great relief. "It is an immeasurable joy for me to have acquired this equipment, which will greatly facilitate my studies. We had many difficulties following the courses, but this equipment will allow us to record certain content and learn better," confided Soutongnoma Luc Ramde.
He also expressed his gratitude to the university authorities and the ministry for having listened attentively to his heartfelt plea.
The student's tutor in Koudougou, Ms. Ziou/Kabore Ramata, also expressed her delight at this initiative. "The joy is immense because, given the difficulties he faced, this equipment will certainly facilitate his studies. He is a hardworking, diligent, and very organized student who achieves good results despite his disability," she testified.
The university administration also indicated that it was receiving support from the Burkinabe Association for the Promotion of the Blind and Visually Impaired, which provided a technician to train the student in the use of the equipment. This action marks an important step in Norbert Zongo University's efforts to promote inclusive education and offer equal opportunities for success to all students.