SPECIAL SCHOOLS
State allocates R477m to pupils with disabilities
A court ruling forced the Department of Basic Education’s hand, says the director of Inclusive Education
The Department of Basic Education has earmarked R477m to support children with "intellectual disabilities" to access quality education. A civil society report on the country’s response to the education needs of children showed that more than 597,000 children with disabilities in SA did not attend school in 2015, which is almost double the 280,000 estimated to have been left behind in 2001. This is despite the Department of Basic Education telling Parliament’s portfolio committee that the number of special schools had increased since 2002 from 295 to 464 in 2015. Civil-society organisations, including Inclusive Education, Section 27 and Human Rights Watch, have been urging Parliament to exercise its legislative and oversight functions to speed up the process of implementing Education white paper 6, the government’s policy on inclusive education. Director of Inclusive Education SA Robyn Beere said while the allocated funds were welcome, they were due to a "court case finding against t...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.