Van Asch College
| Van Asch Deaf Education Center | |
|---|---|
| type of school | Special School for the Deaf |
| founding | 1880 |
| address |
Truro Street, Christchurch , |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Coordinates | 43 ° 34 '47 " S , 172 ° 45' 32" E |
| carrier | Country |
| student | 35 to 40 inside, 50 to 60 outside the school building |
| Teachers | 48 |
| Website | www.vanasch.school.nz |
The Van Asch Deaf Education Center (also Van Asch College ) in Sumner , Christchurch , New Zealand is a school for deaf children.
The school was founded in 1880 and claims to be the first fully state-funded school for the deaf in the world. In the 1950s and 1960s, the school's philosophy was to encourage students to use lip reading and spoken language instead of New Zealand Sign Language . Today, however, New Zealand Sign Language , New Zealand's third official language, is being taught again.
In 1995 the formerly called Sumner School for the Deaf was renamed in honor of its first headmaster Gerrit van Asch.