Department of Education on White Paper on Inclusive Education and Report on Special Schools: briefing

CHILDREN, YOUTH AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES JOINT MONITORING COMMITTEE
5 June 2002
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ON WHITE PAPER ON INCLUSIVE EDUCATION AND REPORT ON SPECIAL SCHOOLS: BRIEFING

Chairperson: Ms H.I. BOGAPANE

Documents handed out
Briefing on implementation of white paper 6 on Special Education and Status Report on Special Schools (see Appendix)

SUMMARY
Director of Inclusive Education discussed the implementation of the White paper on Special Education which included Public Awareness, Curriculum in schools and changing the structure of schools to accommodate disabled children. The plan should take effect once an audit had been completed in schools to access the needs of its targets. The plan further included a budget plan for periods 2002 to 2005.

MINUTES
Dr Naicker, Director of Inclusive Education read out the proposed implementation to the committee. The committee raised many concerns.

Please refer to briefing on implementation of white paper 6 on Special Education and Status Report on Special Schools.

Discussion
Miss Newhoudt (ANC) asked when the audit would be completed and when could the members of the committee get a copy?

Chair inquired about the process of the audit. She asked which instruments were used to obtain the anticipated information and inquired if orphans were part of this program. Was HIV awareness and Life skills in special schools included in the plan?

A member asked about the productivity of the National Co-ordinating Committee for Inclusive Education (NCCIE).

Dr Naicker replied that the NCCIE was run by the Heads of education in all provinces . The Department of Education has set up a sub-committee of Heads of Education Committee (HEDCOM) This committee was very productive as they had a clear listing of constituencies.

Every member would receive a copy of the audit soon. The process used to implement the audit was a questionnaire. Researchers were sent to every school to ensure that the questionnaire was answered. All researchers used were experienced and validated. Researchers could verify all questions asked and answered.

Dr Naicker said that HIV co- coordinators supported by the directorate intend to develop a database for HIV education.
The directorate was passionate about these issues. Life skills program is part of Curriculum 2005 and has been addressed as an issue in the education of every student.

Miss Newhoudt asked about the mechanisms used to reach far rural areas since those areas were usually overlooked.

Mr Naicker replied that the first three years involved a pilot project aimed specifically at rural areas.

Chair asked who the target audiences were of the audit? Was it teachers or students?
Who were the questionnaires aimed at since the blind would then require Braille copies?

Dr Naicker said that it was aimed at learners, teachers, departmental officials. He said that different needs of learners were taken into consideration and researchers used come from diverse backgrounds to accommodate for the needs of all concerned.

Ms Newhoudt said that in present schools for deaf, teachers did not want to use sign language with the students. How did the White Paper ensure that teachers were trained to
accommodate learner needs?

Chair asked about the relationship between the work of directorate and that of the Office of the Status of Disabled People. What was the Department's strategy was to ensure that disabled people went to normal schools?

A member asked if the department made contact with other departments and what was their response to the white paper.

Ms Gandhi asked if there were physical structural plans for buildings in schools to accommodate disabled children.

Dr Naicker said that teachers would be obliged to use sign language in schools. The directorate would monitor the process themselves.

He said that South African Federal Council on Disability had been sent questionnaires to facilitate positive interaction in working together in order to achieve the goals set out in white paper. No response has been received as yet.

There is a National Developing Program looking at schools to create enough infrastructures to accommodate for learner needs but ultimately provinces would have to make a decision to implement policy.

Regarding structural plans, Dr Naicker said he spoke to the deputy directorate to lead a draft tender to convert schools. The response from the deputy directorate is that he felt that all schools are in fact physically and structurally accessible and will work in accommodating disabled persons.

Ms Newhoudt, inquired how children with disablilities aged between 2-5 years fit into this plan.

Dr Naicker replied that the Edcom subcommittee was addressing that issue within the directorate.

The meeting was adjourned.

Appendix
BRIEFING ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF WHITE PAPER 6 ON SPECIAL EDUCATION AND STATUS REPORT ON SPECIAL SCHOOLS

1. INTRODUCTION
Education White Paper 6 on Special Needs Education:Building an Inclusive Education and Training System was launched on 26 July 2001 gazetted as national policy on 27 July 2001. The implementation of Education White Paper 6 is a radical departure from the traditional model of special education provision. Whilst the traditional model was influenced by the medical model and its associated practices, the new model operates within a new paradigmatic framework. Thus there is a new theory with new philosophy, structures and practices. Essentially, this White Paper says that current policy involves:

• Systematically moving away from using segregation according to categories of disabilities as an organising principle for institutions
• Basing the provision of education for learners with disabilities on the intensity of support needed to overcome the debilitating impact of those disabilities
• Placing an emphasis on supporting learners through full-service schools that will have a bias towards particular disabilities depending on need and support
• Directing how the initial facilities will be set up and how the additional resources required will be accessed
• Indicating how learners with disability will be identified, assessed and incorporated into special, full-service and ordinary schools in an incremental manner
• Introducing strategies and interventions that will assist educators to cope with a diversity of learning and teaching needs to ensure transitory learning difficulties are ameliorated.
• Giving direction for the Education Support System needed

Quite clearly, what emerges from the above shift is a radical departure from the confined medical model and its associated practices. Conventional theories, assumptions, models, practices and tools will have to be replaced by a discourse and practices that are consistent with the new paradigm. In the light of what has been said this briefing focuses on: (i) The short, medium and long term plans of Education White Paper 6, (ii) progress relating to Education White Paper 6, (iii) information relating to the audit of special schools and, (iv) future targets relating to the implementation of White Paper 6 as well as the budget for the next 3 years. It must be noted that this presentation cannot focus on the report of the status of special schools since the audit report becomes available in July 2002. However, the discussion speaks to the audit.

2. THE WHITE PAPER 6 SHORT-TERM TO MEDIUM-TERM AND LONG-TERM PLAN

A realistic time frame of twenty years is proposed for the implementation of the inclusive education and training strategy. The White Paper provides detail in this regard relating to Immediate to short-term steps (first two years), Medium-term (Years 3-5) and, Long-term (Years 6-20). It is within this time-frame in the White Paper that we commit ourselves to:

• Our long-term goal

Our long-term goal is the development of an inclusive education and training system that will uncover and address barriers to learning, and recognise and accommodate the diverse range of learning needs. This long-term goal is part of our programme to build an open, lifelong and high quality education and training system for the 21^st Century. The inclusive education and training system shall include a range of different institutions, including special schools/resource centres and designated full service and other schools, public adult learning centres and further and higher education institutions. As mentioned earlier the vision and goals that we have outlined in this White Paper reflect a twenty-year developmental perspective.

• Our short-term to medium-term goals

Our short-term to medium-term goals will focus immediately on addressing the weaknesses and deficiencies of our current system and on expanding access and provision to those of compulsory school-going age who are not accommodated within the education and training system. In this manner we shall begin to lay the foundations for the kind of education and training system we wish to build over the next twenty years.

Over the next five years we shall introduce strategic changes. These focus on the revision of all policies, legislation and structures that are necessary to facilitate the transformation process. This period will also include addressing the following:

• Auditing and improving the quality of and converting special schools to resource centres
• Advocacy campaign and public awareness
• Building capacity in all education departments
• Strengthening the capacities of all advisory bodies
• Establishing district support teams
• Identifying, designating and establishing full-service schools, public adult learning centres, and further and higher education institutions
• Establishing institutional level support teams
• Assisting in establishing mechanisms at community level for the early identification of severe learning difficulties
• Developing professional capacity of all educators in curriculum development and assessment
• Promoting quality assurance and quality improvement
• Mobilising public support
• Addressing HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases
• Developing an appropriate funding strategy

Following the completion of our audit of special schools, we will develop investment plans to improve the quality of education across all of them. Learners who require high levels of support will be accommodated in these vastly improved special schools, as part of an inclusive system. In this regard, the process of identifying, assessing and enrolling learners in special schools will be overhauled and replaced by structures that acknowledge the central role played by teachers, lecturers and parents. Given the considerable expertise and resources that are invested in special schools, we must also make these available to neighbourhood schools, especially full-service schools and colleges. As we outlined in this White Paper, this can be achieved by making special schools, in an incremental manner, part of district support services where they can become a resource for all our schools.

2. PROGRESS RELATING TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF EDUCATION WHITE PAPER 6

Several interventions were effected after the launch of Education White Paper 6 in July 2001. The Department of Education has set up a sub-committee of Heads of Education Committee (HEDCOM) called the National Co-ordinating Committee for Inclusive Education (NCCIE). This committee includes representation from all provinces, teacher unions and the office of the State Presidents Desk on Disability. The committee major responsibility is to oversee the implementation of Education White Paper 6. This committee meets regular every six weeks.

In the light of the paradigmatic shifts suggested in Education White Paper 6, for key implementation guidelines are currently being finalized. They include the following:

• Guidelines on different intelligences and learning styles
• Guidelines on curriculum adaptation for learners who experience socio-economic difficulties and speak English as a second language or how to address second language issues at a general level
• Guidelines on special schools that offer technical subjects within the framework of C2005
• Provide guidelines on management and organization of classrooms

• Guidelines on merging Education White Paper 6 with ECD, ABET, HE and FET programmes
• Integrate Education White Paper 6 with ECD, ABET, HE, FET proposals around disability
• Establishment of systems and procedures for the early identification and addressing of barriers to learning in the Foundation Phase (Grades R-3)
• Establishment of higher education policy on disabled learners according to White Paper.
• Establishment of ABET policy on disabled learners according to White Paper.

• Develop a post-provisioning model that is consistent with Education White Paper 6 (See p. 29 of Education White Paper 6)

• Establish student numbers and their geographical distribution,
  teaching resources by number and type.
• Costing of an idealised district
  resource center and full-service school.
• Full service school.
• Student numbers: establish complete picture 'out-of-school' figures. This will be mapped using a GIS.
• Staffing: categorise teaching resources by number, type
  and geographical distribution.
• Costing exercise in three provinces: Gauteng (relatively rich, densely populated); Eastern Cape (poor, high population, and comprising
  densely-populated urban and scattered rural populations) and Northern Cape (low, sparsely-distributed population).

• Guidelines on the process of identifying, assessing and enrolling learners in special schools and settings that is consistent with the paradigm shift in Education White Paper 6
• Guidelines on the various documentation that is required for this process
• Guidelines on the role of teachers, lecturers and parents
• Guidelines on the role of district support team
• Guidelines on the role of provincial department of education

• Programmes on public awareness and acceptance of an inclusive society and the inclusive education and training system put forward in the White Paper.
• Programmes that will uncover negative stereotypes and win support for policies put forward in the White Paper.
• Guidelines on information and advocacy campaign
• Guidelines on advocacy programmes that are directed at parents.

• Guidelines on a full-service school. This include a definition, composition, nature and function, roles and responsibilities of staff as well as constituency and some description of the geographical area (number of mainstream schools it serves in both rural and urban contexts.
• Information regarding flexibility in teaching practices and styles.

• Guidelines on the definition, composition and roles and responsibilities of team in relation to Education White Paper 6 (See page 28 of Education White Paper 6)

• Guidelines on the definition and role of a special school as a resource center (See Education White Paper 6, p.30 and other sections relating to this aspect).

• Conceptual and operational plan regarding the mobilization of learners who are disabled and out of school

The Department of Education (DOE) has been centrally involved in developing concept papers with regard to the above-mentioned documents. Stakeholders representing all sectors including disability, universities, provincial departments relating to ECD, post provisioning, ABET, FET, Curriculum and Inclusive Education. Besides developing implementation guidelines, one of the central thrusts of the above initiatives was to mainstream the White Paper 6 discourse and put into place guidelines for the implementation of all aspects of the White Paper.

The DOE has also been involved in shaping the learning programme guidelines in all learning areas in the Revised National Curriculum Statement. The input in this regard as been consistent with Education White Paper 6. As a result, every teacher in this country will be exposed to inclusive education when the new curriculum rolls out.

The DOE has compiled assessment guidelines for all teachers that is consistent with Education White Paper 6. These guidelines have already been circulated to all the provinces. Some provinces have already begun training in this regard. Further, the Directorate developed concessions document on examinations for Grade 12 learners. This document is consistent with Education White Paper 6.

The FET policy process relating to curriculum began recently. The DOE has provided a concept document which suggests widespread changes to the FET system to ensure that the system is inclusive. The participation of the Directorate in the policy development process relating to FET is a very active one.

The DOE has representation relating to Inclusion in all the key sub-committees of HEDCOM which include ECD, FET, ABET, teacher development, curriculum and examinations. Several substantial inputs in these committees have been made with regard to developing an system.

The DOE has tabled in the NCCIE a conceptual and operational plan relating to the mobilizing of out of school disabled youth. Provinces are currently responding to the plan. The roll out of the advocacy plan that has been approved by NCCIE is beginning to take shape. The advocacy will roll out as part of the DOE's overall advocacy strategy.

The DOE is also centrally involved in the development of policy relating to orphans. A clear plan is being developed which includes a database, intervention strategies and educational programmes for orphans.

2. INFORMATION RELATING TO THE AUDIT OF SPECIAL EDUCATION PROVISION

The Department of Education is awaiting the audit report which will be finalized in July 2002. As mentioned earlier the pilot project mentioned in Education White Paper 6 relating to the conversion of 30 special schools into resource centers, conversion of 30 primary schools into full-service schools and the development of 30 district support teams, will take place once the audit report has been handed to the Department of Education. The audit will provide the NCCIE with detailed information for planning and implementation.

The audit report will provide the Department of Education and NCCIE the following databases:

• Department Information Database
• Special School Information Database
• Staff Information Database
• Individual Information Database
• Learner Information Database

The above-mentioned databases will provide key information for implementation of the short term plan of Education White Paper 6. The following information regarding the emerging from the databases is essential for planning and implementation.

• Number of schools according to categories per province
• Geographic location (urban, rural, urban disadvantaged)
• Physical resources
• Specialised equipment/resources
• Hostels
• Transport
• Educational programmes
• Matric pass rate
• Finances
• School Governance

• Number of learners enrolled in schools by category of disability by province
• Learners by gender, age and disability,
• Learners by population group
• Learners by home language and languages of instruction
• Number of high need learners and low need learners
• Learners on waiting lists in 2001
• Learners excluded in 2001
• Learners denied admission in 2001

• Human resource capacity by gender, province, age, population group, qualifications:
• Number of teachers
• Management staff
• Different therapists
• Teacher aides
• Teacher-learner educator ratio

• Number of schools according to categories per province
• Geographic location (urban; rural, urban disadvantaged)
• Physical resources
• Specialised equipment/resources
• Hostels
• Transport
• Educational programmes
• Matric pass rate
• Finances
• School Governance

• Number of learners enrolled in schools by category of disability by province
• Learners by gender, age, and disability;
• Learners by population group
• Learners by home language and languages of instruction
• Number of high need learners and low need learners
• Learners on waiting lists in 2001
• Learners excluded in 2001
• Learners denied admission in 2001

• Human resource capacity by gender, province, age, population group, qualifications:
• Number of teachers
• Management staff
• Different therapists
• Teacher aides
• Teacher-learner educator ratio

2. FUTURE TARGETS RELATING TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF WHITE PAPER 6

The following bar chart provides a detailed step by step plan relating to the implementation of Education White Paper 6 over the next three years. The achievements of the Directorate relating to Implementing White Paper 6 has been discussed above. The bar chart indicates what remains to be done over the next three years according to a clear time-frame. A budget of the pilot project is also include after the bar chart.

The complexity of the process in terms of changing attitudes and behaviours, de-skilling and re-skilling educators, principals, administrators and teacher educators, the effects on learners, parents and communities, and not least resource and capacity implications, all need to be researched, monitored and evaluated.

An audit of completed and ongoing research activities in inclusive education will be carried out. A tentative research programme for the pilot phase will be drafted (action research, in-depth case studies, and longitudinal research) and put out on tender to universities and research institutes.

Monitoring will consist of regularly following the process of policy development and implementation according to targets and indicators. The monitoring will be of two types: programme monitoring, consisting of a quarterly input-process-output approach: and annual impact monitoring, tracking how longer-lasting intended (and unintended) changes to individuals and institutions appear to be taking place. Both forms of monitoring will be employing both qualitative and quantitative methodology, with an emphasis on the former. Monitoring must also be carried out of the growth of inclusive education in ordinary schools, both those being reached by the three ongoing projects in inclusive education and others, and the interrelationship of the two strategies of piloting WP6 and the roll-out of Revised Curriculum 2005.

Evaluation of the piloting will take place towards the end of the phase, and will be a summative evaluation and detailed analysis of the process and results based on the programme and impact indicators. A full impact evaluation will be conducted at a later stage, owing to the longer-term nature of impact. The evaluation will provide important information to guide further policy development and implementation strategies.

Baseline field studies and the identification of indicators for monitoring and evaluation will be carried out during 2002. Participatory methods will be used in all monitoring and evaluation, involving education officials at all levels, principals, educators, parents, learners, NGOs and other community structures.