Sherri Sullivan from Krugersdorp travels about 40 minutes every weekday to drop her four-year-old boy at the Amazing K Independent School in Northwold.
Since her child, who is autistic, started at the school in April this year, his condition has immensely improved. Today her child is able to speak and can socialise with his peers.
Sullivan said it was extremely difficult to find a school which could accommodate her child. “It was just coincidental that while I was googling I came across Amazing K. My son is socialising more. He has started to become on par with the rest of the children his age,” she said.
She explained that a normal school wouldn’t have given him the attention he receives at this school. “I haven’t got words for this school, they are amazing and affordable,” she said.
She said that her deepest fear was to see the school closing since it came under the spotlight for not being registered with the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE). “I wouldn’t know where to take my son,” she said.
Sullivan is one of many parents who attended the Zumbathon fundraiser at Viva Gym in Hillfox Centre on 12 November to help raise funds for the school. Participants danced for about two hours and raised an amount of R6 300 to help the school.
The school has been battling to get registered with the GDE for the past three years – a plight which may soon come to an end. This follows the Democratic Alliance (DA) shadow MEC Khume Ramulifho’s oversight visit to the school on 17 October. Ramulifho has since submitted written questions to MEC Phanyaza Lesufi to ascertain exactly how many independent schools in the province are not registered due to the department’s tardiness.
Another parent who participated in the Zumbathon was Tembi Omotoso. She said the school was benefiting her son and could only thank the school’s owner, Ilse Killian-Ross for opening the facility.
“My son is in an environment where they understand him. He was in a school before but I think they were not equipped… to help autistic children,” she said.
One of the organisers and a parent of an autistic child, Letasja van der Merwe said she decided to do the Zumbathon for the school and didn’t expect the huge turnout. “Amazing K is one of the few autistic schools on this side of the City and we will like it to grow and accommodate more children. I will try everything to ensure the school receives all the support it can get,” she said.
Zumba instructor, Janine Canha said that 100 per cent of the proceeds went to the school to help them expand. “We weren’t sure how many people would come and the Viva Gym gave us their studio to use without any payment,” she said.
