The Department of Basic Education has noted the report released today by Human Rights Watch on various issues regarding inclusive education.
It is disappointing to note that Human Rights Watch researchers approached the Department of Basic Education with predetermined findings of their research. Despite asking for our input they failed to include our submissions in their final report which address many of the concerns raised in their report. It is almost as if there is an attempt to sensationalise the very real and very serious challenges faced by learners with special needs.
The DBE is working at various levels of Government to educationally enrich the lives of children with disabilities, it is disheartening when these concerted and genuine efforts are trivialised, and worse, ignored for the purpose of releasing a report with a predetermined outcome. It calls into question the legitimacy of the report if the researchers chose to strategically omit crucial information that seriously impacts on the real situation in the country.
The implementation of the Policy of Inclusive Education as outlined in Education White Paper 6 of 2001 is a critical priority of the Department of Basic Education. However, it is incremental and systematic and the change that has been achieved, against a background of disparity and inequality inherited from the previous dispensation, is huge and requires multi-sectoral collaboration.
The Department is far advanced in establishing improved data gathering systems which would provide more accurate and disaggregated data on the number of out-of-school children with disabilities, which is a challenge faced by most countries.
The introduction of the Policy on Screening, Identification, Assessment and Support (promulgated at the end of 2014) with the concomitant development of funding, post provisioning and infrastructure norms for an Inclusive Education system, will also ensure a new dispensation in which children with disabilities will have expanded opportunities to access their local neighbourhood schools and receive support in inclusive settings from an early age onwards.
The Department is committed to honouring the South African Government’s obligations to realise the prescripts of especially Article 24 of the Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
What Human Rights Watch asked; What the Department of Basic Education said:
1. Pertaining to commitments in law and policy:
1.1 In compliance with Chapter 2 (3)(2) of South Africa’s Schools Act, has the Minister of Basic Education taken steps in 2014 or 2015 to “determine the ages of compulsory attendance for learners with special education needs”?
The South African Schools Act and the Admissions Policy are currently being reviewed and will be brought in line with the newly promulgated Policy on Screening, Identification, Assessment and Support (Dec. 2014). One of the critical areas that will be included in the review is the admission age of learners with disabilities to make better provision for early intervention.
1.2 In line with “Education White Paper 6”, has the Department of Basic Education customised the “National Norms and Standards for School Funding” to adjust the funding policy for learners “with special education needs”?
The Department is currently finalising the development of “National Norms and Standards for the Distribution of Resources (including personnel, non-personnel non capital and infrastructure resources) within an Inclusive Education System” which will holistically address the support needs of learners with special education needs and disabilities. This policy has been consulted with various stakeholders and is currently being taken through the DBE’s internal approval processes where after, if approved, it will be published for public comment.
2. Pertaining to overall monitoring and evaluation:
2.1 Is the Department of Basic Education able to share an up-to-date statistic that reflects the numbers of learners with disabilities who were in school in the 2013 and 2014 academic years, as well as new enrolments in 2015?
Enrolmentof Learners with Disabilities in Special Schools in 2013 and 2014:
|
Province |
Number of Special Schools |
Number of learners enrolled in 2013 |
Number of learners enrolled in 2014 |
|
EC |
42 |
9 165 |
9 258 |
|
FS |
21 |
6 036 |
6 130 |
|
GT |
136 |
42 958 |
43 063 |
|
KZ |
74 |
17 169 |
16 910 |
|
LP |
34 |
8 598 |
8 692 |
|
MP |
20 |
3 818 |
4 003 |
|
NC |
11 |
1 691 |
1 785 |
|
NW |
32 |
6 764 |
6 858 |
|
WC |
83 |
20 689 |
20 785 |
|
SA |
453 |
116 888 |
116 740 |
Source: Annual Special School Surveys of 2013 and 2014
Enrolmentof Learners with Disabilities in Ordinary Schools in 2013:
|
Province |
Independent & Public |
|
|
Learners |
Schools |
|
|
EC |
28 288 |
1 308 |
|
FS |
21 330 |
415 |
|
GT |
4 988 |
234 |
|
KZ |
9 229 |
496 |
|
LP |
2 608 |
393 |
|
MP |
2 433 |
173 |
|
NC |
2 326 |
189 |
|
NW |
2 209 |
167 |
|
WC |
7 291 |
847 |
|
South Africa |
80 702 |
4 222 |
Source: Annual school survey 2013
Statistics for enrolment of learners with disabilities in ordinary schools in 2014 and 2015 are not yet available.
2.2 How does the government account for a discrepancy between the 223,123 learners with disabilities reported to be in school in 2010 and the 80,702 learners with disabilities reported to Parliament, based on the 2013 Annual Schools Survey?
The total number of 223 123 learners with disabilities reported to be enrolled in schools in 2010 referred to the combined number enrolled in special as well as in ordinary schools. The figure of 80 702 reported in 2013, refers only to enrolment of learners with disabilities in ordinary schools. The total enrolment in special and ordinary school in 2013 was 197 590. The drop of 45 716 in enrolment in ordinary schools between 2012 and 2013 require further investigation to verify the accuracy of this figure. One possible reason might be the inability of schools to accurately identify and record learners with disabilities in ordinary schools. This situation should improve once the Policy on Screening, Identification, Assessment and Support is fully implemented and incorporated into the SASAMS and LURITS systems.
2.3 How does the government account for a sudden drop in the number of children with disabilities who were out of school in 2011 – amounting to 480,036 according to the government’s first report to the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities4—to 30,000 children in 2014 as reported by the Department of Basic Education’s spokesperson?
The discrepancies in the estimated number of out-of-school children with disabilities reported in the Baseline Country Report to the United Nations in 2011 and that of the 2014 statement by a Departmental spokesperson, is the result of a comparison between data collected from two different surveys, namely the Annual School Survey of the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and the General Household Survey of STATS South Africa which has different classifications of disabilities.
The DBE and its census instruments define disability based on medical condition while the General Household Survey (GHS) defines disability in accordance with the Washington Group Short Set of Questions on Functional Limitations. According to the study by STATS South Africa on Census Content Research on Disability Schedule, the Washington Group Short Set of Questions on Disability resulted in much higher estimates of disability than the Census 2001 question.
It is therefore emphasised that the declaration of disability by the DBE is done through a formal determination that involves qualified education officials or parents providing medical evidence, whilst the GHS uses information provided by the head of the household as a proxy to learners.
Secondly the report is comparing data collected from schools in a census and data collected from households in a sample (i.e. comparison is made of census and inferential data).
Based on the definition and the method of data collection, there will be discrepancies between the results of two surveys.
2.4 Can the Department of Basic Education provide official statistics on the numbers of special schools scheduled to be built or budgeted for in the coming years?
Provincial Education Departments are planning to build 18 new special schools over the next four years.
Is the Department of Basic Education able to share official up-to-date statistics on waiting lists for special schools?
In January 2015 the DBE conducted a follow up survey on the number of learners per province who are on waiting lists for admission to special schools. The number stood at 5 425 in March 2015. Provinces have been advised to ensure that all waiting lists must be managed centrally from the provincial head offices by ensuring that all learners who have been referred are assessed in terms of the SIAS Policy and receive the necessary support in the school where they currently are enrolled. The waiting lists are monitored quarterly by the DBE.
3. Pertaining to learners with disabilities:
3.1 Has the “Screening, Identification, Assessment, and Support National Strategy” been launched and implemented in accordance with the 2014 timeframe stipulated by the Department of Basic Education?
The Policy on Screening, Identification, Assessment and Support was promulgated in December 2014 for implementation with effect 2015. Most provinces have been setting up structures in selected schools and districts for the implementation of the policy since 2008. The policy will now be incrementally rolled out nationally across all districts and schools, starting with the training of a National Training Team in July 2015. 2019 has been set as the target date for universal application.
3.2 How does the Department of Basic Education track school placements for out-of-school learners with disabilities, including those accessing education for the first time, as well as those who have not entered the school at the age of compulsory education applicable to learners in ordinary schools?
The Department has introduced several actions to ensure that the significant number of vulnerable learners (including learners with disabilities) who are out of school have access to quality education and support.
The Department of Basic Education has established a protocol with the Department of Social Development and the South African Social Security Agency to ensure that all children aged 5 to 18 years who have Identification Numbers and who receive grants are in school. To date this is the most effective method of identifying out-of-school children and youth of compulsory school going age.
The LURITS system further tracks all enrolment of learners per category of disability. In 2014/15 better real time information will be available on the numbers of learners with disabilities who are enrolled in schools (both ordinary and special).
To address the needs of children and youth with profound intellectual disability in response to an order of the Western Cape High Court an Inter-Departmental Forum that was established in 2011 that has met regularly to track progress in terms of the action steps included in the court order. Departments represented have been: Departments of Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities, Transport, Public Works, Cooperative Governance and Local Government and Health as well as Social Development. The DBE has completed a Draft Policy Framework and Learning Programme for children and youth with profound intellectual disability outlining not only how services could be provided to children in schools and in care centres but also the nature of the stimulation programme that has to be offered in the centres. The Policy Framework advocates a multi-sectoral approach.
3.3 What incentives are given to mainstream and full-service schools to ensure they admit learners with disabilities?
Full service schools are, in terms of the funding policy which is being finalised, targeted to receive additional recurrent operational funding based on the number of screened learners with moderate to high support needs.
In terms of the current norms for distribution of posts, schools are eligible for additional staff in terms of the weighting of learners with disabilities. This is however not applied across all provinces.
Since 2007 the Expansion of Inclusive Education has been a national priority in terms of provincial budgeting to make provision for the allocation of funds for assistive technology and Learning and Teaching Support Materials (LTSM) in accessible format (e.g. Braille) as well as for itinerant learning support teachers who could support schools in the implementation of inclusive education. Unfortunately the funding has only been made available for this purpose in seven of the nine provinces.
3.4 What type of child protection mechanisms and child safeguarding measures are in place in boarding schools and school hostels to prevent learner abuse and neglect?
The Department of Basic Education has noted the report on the audit of special schools that was conducted by the now disbanded Department of Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities in 2012/13. An inter-sectoral committee is in the process of being established to develop an intervention plan for special school hostels. The committee will be headed by the Directorate Safety in Education and will be part of the overall Departmental Strategy for Safety in Schools. The committee will consist of representation from the Departments of Basic Education and Social Development. Although the primary focus will be on special school hostels, issues such as bullying of children with disabilities in mainstream schools will also be addressed.
In 2012 and 2013, joint interventions were conducted in two special schools, respectively in the Eastern Cape and in North West Provinces and turn-around strategies developed and implemented.
The DBE has also developed Guidelines for the provisioning of boarding facilities. Minimum safety requirement have been highlighted. Schools are expected to draft their own school-specific Code of Conduct for Learners based on the sample Code of Conduct for learners provided to all provinces. The Codes of Conduct should provide parameters for appropriate behaviour and consequences when behaviour is unacceptable. The DBE has also developed a National School Safety Framework which will apply to all schools
Enquiries:
Elijah Mhlanga
Cell: 083 580 8275
Troy Martens
Cell: 079 899 3070
