PARENTS and caregivers of children living with autism, cerebral palsy, barriers to learning and disabilities, have few options.
They describe their education choices in Zululand are ‘severely limited’, ‘non-existing’ and ‘unaffordable’.
‘Richards Bay needs a school for children with intellectual disability and a school for children with specific learning difficulties, who are unable to achieve their potential in mainstream schooling.’
This is according to Dr Marianne Truter, Deputy Principal of Veldenvlei Primary, who recently completed her PhD thesis entitled ‘Education in the best interests of the child: a case study of
rural schools in KwaZulu-Natal.’
She agrees that Richards Bay is in dire need of facilities where experts can give every child the best chance in life.
Parents of the ABLE Centre in Meerensee succeeded with the help of businesses and the community to
establish a specialised facility for children on the autism spectrum.
However funding is needed for extensions and bursaries for children who cannot afford the high tuition fees.
Limited help
Parents of children with cerebral palsy, say they have nowhere to go and are desperate for a therapeutic facility in Richards Bay.
The Zululand Remedial School in Empangeni is highly specialised to cater for children with barriers to learning, but only up to Grade 7.
Thuthukani Special School provides care for children with intellectual disabilities and do what they can to cope with the growing number of children with special needs, but funding and capacity are limited for all centres.
Home schools are on the increase and absorb some learners, but tutors and parents often do not have the skills, expertise and facilities needed to support and develop every learner to full potential.
Dr Truter says the situation in rural Zululand is far worse.
‘Education has to be of the highest quality to support children to reach their full potential.
‘Inclusion, where all children are educated together, has been debated for many years and is a human rights issue.
‘Education White Paper 6 on Inclusive Education of 2001, promotes social inclusion and must meet the needs of vulnerable learners at all levels.
‘According to the policy, this includes special schools and full service schools within the mainstream schooling system.
‘Learners with severe disabilities will be accommodated in special schools as part of inclusive education.
Significant efforts
‘Learners who experience barriers will be accommodated in full service schools,
equipped and supported to provide for the full range of learning needs.
‘Teachers in such schools must have skills and knowledge to provide support.
‘Although significant efforts have been made, there are challenges.
‘More than 50 ordinary schools have been converted to full service schools in KZN, but do learners in the Richards Bay area have access to these full service schools?
‘Are teachers trained to identify learners who are likely to experience barriers to learning?
‘Education should be in the best interests of the child.’
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