Discussion on vocational training

During the period of oralism, the task of schools for the deaf was to integrate deaf people into the hearing society. In the early 20th century, teachers thought that deaf people do not require vocational training designed specifically for them. It was thought that they could study in mainstream educational institutes because they could lipread and speak. The main goal was to teach deaf people practical skills, and it was not considered to be harmful that they were not given an opportunity to attend further studies.

The basic education provided by the schools for the deaf did not offer sufficient skills for work and further training opportunities were almost non-existent. Despite this, deaf people found work relatively well. Short additional courses had been offered by schools for deaf people since 1893.

When authorities admitted in the 1930s that a separate vocational school for the deaf was necessary, establishing an agricultural institute was seen as the best solution because having deaf people live in the countryside was considered beneficial to them.  Of course, many deaf people grew up in the countryside and it was thought only natural that they would return to their home region after leaving school. However, a significant number of deaf people wanted to stay in the towns to lead independent lives with other deaf people.

Therefore, three issues came under debate when decisions were made on further education. The first of them was whether a separate vocational institute was needed for deaf people at all. The second issue was whether the institute should focus on agriculture or artisan and factory work. The third question was whether academic further education would be more beneficial than vocational training.

In the 1930s, public debate on vocational training for deaf people became more active, with the discussion covering both academic further education, including grammar schools, and vocational schools and the teaching of professional skills. In 1944, a law on vocational training for deaf people was passed and consequently funding for the school was granted. The deaf community was partly disappointed in the law because it did not make it possible for deaf people to work as teachers in the school. The vocational school in Turku did not open until 1948. However, many other linguistic and cultural minorities had to wait longer to be able to access further education opportunities.

Once the school in Turku had been founded, progress in vocational training for deaf people stalled. In 1956, agricultural training for deaf people began at the agricultural institute of the Invalidisäätiö foundation for people with disabilities. The content of the training was the same as for hearing people but the course lasted three years instead of two.

Middle school was also discussed for a long time, and finally in 1968 Mikkeli’s Porrassalmi joint lyceum began to accept exam results from a middle school for the deaf. The schools for the deaf nominated the students they thought would do well in a grammar school and the National Board of General Education made the final selection. Students started middle school after attending primary school for five to seven years and therefore the age gaps were large. Deaf students used the same schoolbooks as the hearing children and exams were evaluated by teachers of mainstream grammar schools.