Four hearing-impaired learners and two persons with special needs are the pioneer graduates of the animation and graphic design training courses of the provincial government’s Negros Occidental Language and Information Technology Center (NOLITC).

Vocational school administrator Ma. Cristina Orbecido said on Wednesday the development highlights the commitment of NOLITC to social inclusion and diversity in the technical and vocational education and training (TVET) sector.

The six are among the 61 scholars in Animation National Certificate (NC) II Batch 1 and Visual Graphic Design NC III Batches 12 and 13 who completed their training course on April 12.

The four hearing-impaired learners, among them Bacolod Integrated Deaf Association (BIDA) president Lafonza Latoza, were trained in visual graphic design while the two special needs persons, who studied animation, will continue their training to also obtain Level III certification.

Orbecido said they are the first to have completed the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority certification courses after the initial digital literacy training course conducted for persons with disability (PWDs) in July last year.

BIDA coordinator Joan Briones commended the NOLITC for its inclusion initiative that enabled the hearing-impaired to be trained in certification courses, saying “this has opened doors” for them.

“Many deaf have already been informed about the programs at NOLITC. We will be campaigning for more deaf, even those outside Bacolod, to enroll at NOLITC without having to pay for anything. We can also provide them the assistance that they need,” she added. (PNA)