BuaNews (Tshwane)
Nthambeleni Gabara
3 November 2008
Pretoria — Educators must find multiple ways of exposing learners with disabilities to opportunities that will help them demonstrate their full potential, says Minister in the Presidency, Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang.
Speaking during her visit to the two schools that cater for learners with disabilities in Soshanguve on Monday, the minister urged educators to move beyond merely teaching children daily living skills and crafts.
"All children need to be exposed to reading and writing skills as well as the content of all eight learning areas," she said.
However, educators she said must find better ways to help learners to find their full potential in terms of knowledge, skills, values and attitudes.
The two special needs schools visited were the Medunsa Institute for Community Services (Medicos) and Filadelfia which are situated North of Tshwane.
To prepare learners for the world of work, Ms Tshabalala-Msimang said it was important to teach learners pre-vocational skills such as communication skills, independent travelling, punctuality and self-discipline among others.
She also emphasised that people with disabilities have the right to equal access to education opportunities irrespective of the severity of their disabilities.
The Department of Education, she said, has recently released the "Guidelines to Ensure Quality Education and Support in Special Schools and Special School Resources Centres".
"This document provides guidelines for special schools that will ensure that all special schools are fully functional and that learners in these schools receive appropriate, quality education which is the preparatory step for the development of special schools as special school resource centres."
She encouraged educators at the special schools to familiarise themselves with this document.
According to the document, learners including learners with intellectual disabilities must receive formal tuition each school day.
It further notes that the practical application and skills development must be linked to knowledge, theory and conceptual development as contained in the National Curriculum Statement.
The report also focuses on individual support plans for learners which should include acquisition of learning strategies for cognitive development and academic success.
The department, the minister said, also released the Education White Paper which encourages an inclusive education and training system.
"It is one of the biggest achievement rights to education for learners with disabilities and one of the aims of the policy is to allow learners with disabilities to attend school in their respective communities," she said.
Ms Tshabalala-Msimang said people with disabilities should be involved in decision making which would affect their lives.
"People with disabilities must be given a chance to mould and direct their own destiny, but at the same time, they must be supported by every member of the society.
"Many people think that it is risky to allow people with disabilities to do things by themselves, however this was not true," she said.
School principal of Medicos, Makgolo Ellen Shabangu said the minister's visit showed that the government cares about learners with disabilities.
"This also shows that the minister is committed to serve with an understanding of the situation at the grassroots level," she said.
This academic year, there were 276 learners at Medicos from Soshanguve and the surrounding areas.
The learners who age range from seven to 18 were mainly provided with skills development training in welding, wood work upholstery, bead work and gardening.
Speaking on behalf of Medicos, Dr Peter Mathebula told BuaNews that there was a need to establish another special school in the area.
"We had more than 200 learners in our waiting list who failed to get admission this academic year who were still willing to be registered in the next academic year.
"We would also like to express our gratitude to the government for always providing us with the necessary support," he said.
The special school, he said, started in 1989 as a crèche, but after realising that it was gradually growing, they appealing for funding from the Independent Development Trust to build more structures.
The Filadelfia school principal, Willem van der Merwe said the minister's visit shows that special schools were important and taken seriously by government.
"This minister's visit gave us hope that she is still going to do more for us since we need more support from both government and community," he said.
The minister also handed over garden tools to the two schools, encouraging them to establish a vegetable garden.
"Each household, school, clinic and community should establish its vegetable garden. We hope that the small gift we donated will make a difference to you and your community," she said.
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