The Minister of Social Development, Bathabile Dlamini, has encouraged learners with disabilities to always know and understand their rights.
Visiting the Adelaide Tambo School today in White City, Jabavu, Soweto, Ms Dlamini told the learners that they should also understand that those rights come with responsibilities.
In particular, she urged them to learn more about the Children’s Act, which aims to afford children the necessary care and protection so that they can develop to their full potential.
“One of the rights that you have is the right to education, which comes with the responsibility to attend school.
“In schools, children must be taught about their rights so that they don’t allow anyone to abuse them, be it in schools, households, communities or among themselves,” she explained.
The minister visited the school to also check on whether it had a conducive, accessible and safer environment of learning for learners with disabilities.
The school caters for children with special educational needs such as physical disabilities, cerebral palsy and learning disabilities.
Apart from the school principal and the teaching staff, it has professionally qualified and registered therapists i.e. physiotherapists (two), speech therapist (one) and an occupational therapist (one).
There is also a social worker and a nurse to complement support services provided to learners with disabilities.
Minister Dlamini said she was impressed that the school has put in place the necessary systems and personnel to cater for the special needs of the learners.
She also appealed to the learners to avoid drugs and alcohol.
“Learners must focus on their education and never allow substances such as drugs and alcohol to destroy their future. We call on learners in townships, rural areas, informal settlements and urban areas to refuse being used by drug lords as drug pushers. Instead, they must expose such criminals,” said Ms Dlamini.
Enquiries:
Thapelo Sakoana
Tel: 012 312 7303
Cell: 078 453 6750
