Specialised bus donated to local special needs school
The South African Muslim Charitable Trust donated a brand new 23-seater bus, equipped with a special hoist to assist learners with wheelchairs and walking frames to get to the Open Air School.
THE South African Muslim Charitable Trust (SAMCT) donated a specialised vehicle to Open Air School to help learners who have physical difficulties and who can’t use public transport to get to school.
Open Air School (OAS) is a special needs school nestled in Glenwood and caters for learners with physical disabilities, visual impairments and learners on the autism spectrum. OAS services learners with disabilities in the KZN Province from pre-primary to Grade 12. The school provides a full academic programme, as well as a small skills-based development programme.
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The school also provides rehabilitative services to the learners, which include speech, occupational therapy and physiotherapy.
An extreme challenge that learners at Open Air School face is attending school regularly due to the limited availability of specialised vehicles specifically designed for learners with physical disabilities.
Many forms of public transportation do not cater for learners with wheelchairs, resulting in poor learner attendance and an overall disruption in their academic performance.
The South African Muslim Charitable Trust (SAMCT) responded to this plea with an incredible donation of a brand new 23-seater bus, equipped with a special hoist to assist learners with wheelchairs and walking frames.
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The official handover of the new school bus was held at Open Air School on May 23 with representatives from the SAMCT. The school, staff and School Governing Body (SGB) held a special assembly to welcome the exciting delivery. The bus was graciously and gratefully received by the school with words of praise and gratitude from its learners and staff.
A trustee from SAMCT, Shabir Chohan, said, “The Open Air School does amazing work and provides an excellent platform upon which its learners are able to shine, preparing them for a full and participative life beyond school. However, many come from disadvantaged backgrounds, and others receive 100% school-fees concessions, creating a daunting financial burden that the school must contend with. Its limited financial resources certainly do not run to the capital outlays required to replace elderly infrastructure, such as buses and electronic equipment.”
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