Children with autism to benefit from Information and Communication Technology (ICT) laboratory
The Deputy Minister of Social Development, Mrs Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu, will in partnership with the MTN Foundation handover an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) laboratory to children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) at Quest School – the only public school in the Eastern Cape Province catering exclusively for children with autism.
The ICT laboratory is a fully equipped computer lab consisting of six computers with e-learning software recommended by the Department of Basic Education for children with autism. Children will also receive twenty assistive technology devices and interactive boards utilised to enlarge alphabets and numbers thus enabling children to read, write and access the internet with ease.
Since the 2014 State of the Nation Address announcement by President Zuma that matters relating to advancing the rights of people with disabilities will reside with the Department of Social Development, a number of initiatives have been rolled out by the Department in this regard, including the draft National Disability Rights Policy. Another of these is the provision of social services to children with autism, including support for parents of children with autism.
During her interaction with parents of children with autism in 2013, Minister of Social Development, Ms Bathabile Dlamini, found that many autistic children did not attend school, and in the few cases that they did, they were not provided with sufficient stimulating learning material and equipment. The opening of this laboratory is therefore a response to this need.
Children born with autism – a neurological disorder characterised by impaired social interaction and communication, as well as restricted and repetitive behaviour said to affect one in every 68 children under the age of six years world wide – are often dismissed in black communities as bewitched or demon possessed or even mentally disabled. As a result of these misconceptions, children with autism are not cared for in a way that meets their specific needs.
Speaking to Minister Dlamini during the 2013 interaction, parents of children with autism also said the challenge in providing proper care for children with autism is exacerbated by the fact that there are not enough doctors in the country trained to diagnose the condition. As a result autism in many cases is not diagnosed early leading to a lack of proper care for children.
The Department of Social Development hosted the interaction with parents of children with autism to try and dispel the misconceptions in black communities around children with autism. The Department was also trying to learn more about the condition from parents caring for autistic children in order that effective educational campaigns can be crafted, and the best possible assistance be provided to those caring for autistic children.
While the Department of Social Development does not have a specific programme for assisting autistic children, it has prioritised early childhood development in its key programmes. Early childhood development is important because the first one thousand days (from conception) of a child, as well as the first two years of their lives, are when most of the child’s development in terms of cognitive capabilities and emotional wellbeing take place. This is also the period when any challenge with a child, including conditions like autism, can be identified and managed in time
As part of activities for the day, the Deputy Minister Bogopane-Zulu will spend time with autistic children and their parents. She will also raise awareness on autism and the constitutional rights of children with autism, as well as educate parents on how they can be supported once their children are diagnosed with autism.
Members of the media are invited to attend and cover the event, scheduled as follows:
Date: Friday, 31 July 2015
Time: 11h00
Venue: Quest School, Hoy Street, South End, Port Elizabeth.
Media RSVP:
Jaconia Kobue
Cell: 073 026 1111
Email: jaconiak@dsd.gov.za
Justice Ditshego
Cell: 079 4977 426
Email: justiced@dsd.gov.za
Enquiries:
Lumka Oliphant
Cell: 083 484 8067
Email: lumkao@dsd.gov.za
