WHITE RIVER – The Department of Education continues to make strides in establishing an inclusive educational environment for every child, irrespective of gender, race or social class.
Individuals with disabilities frequently face challenges in attending school due to various factors, including physical inaccessibility and insufficient resources and support.
The visually impaired are also impacted as many schools in the province lack essential braille equipment and computers designed for use by individuals with vision impairments.
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In an effort to address these obstacles, MEC Cathy Dlamini convened a meeting with the Education Sector Disability Forum in White River to discuss the challenges encountered by individuals with disabilities in the education sector and to explore potential solutions.
The Forum highlighted several issues impacting students from Early Childhood Development through to university level. Among the primary concerns raised were the insufficient school infrastructure, resources and financial support for individuals with disabilities.
Nkosinathi Ndlovu, the CEO of the South African Disability Development Organization, stated that the only aspect yet to be addressed from their discussions is the implementation phase.
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Ehlanzeni’s Disability Forum Secretary, Sibusiso Mthembu, appealed to persons with disabilities to utilize the resources made available to them in order to better their lives.
“We also want to encourage people with disabilities to go to the office of the MEC to apply for bursaries. The MEC outlined that bursaries are available, so we are appealing to everyone who passed matric and those who wish to further their studies and are without funding,” Mthembu elaborated.
MEC Dlamini acknowledged that the province faces a lack of special schools. Nevertheless, she mentioned that strategies are being developed to address this issue.
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The construction of the school for Deaf and Blind learners in Emalahleni is expected to commence later this year.
