Question NW3416 to the Minister of Basic Education

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01 October 2015 - NW3416

Profile picture: Msimang, Prof CT

Msimang, Prof CT to ask the Minister of Basic Education

(a) What is the capacity of schools in rural areas to accommodate children who are (i) slow learners and (ii) mentally challenged and (b) does her department have any programmes in place to provide support to the specified learners in rural areas; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?

Reply:

(a) The capacity of schools to accommodate children who are (i) slow learners and (ii) mentally challenged is progressively developed across the spectrum of schools in the system without considering geographical location. However, there are 169 special schools for learners with intellectual disability in the country, to which learners in rural areas also have access, in the country.

(b) The Department of Basic Education is progressively implementing the following programmes to support learners who are experiencing barriers to learning of whatever form in schools:

  • Implementation of the Screening, Identification, Assessment and Support (SIAS) Policy to scale starting from 2015 through to 2018;
  • Progressive Institutionalisation of Curriculum Differentiation; and
  • The implementation of the Multi-grade Toolkit which started with the training of subject advisors in February 2015 and is being rolled out by Provincial Education Departments (PEDs) going forward.

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