Question NW3701 to the Minister of Basic Education

Reply:

Noting that inclusive learning, training, and the availability of sufficient teachers with specialised capabilities for inclusive education are critical to supporting learners with various conditions, (a) how are the Funza Lushaka recipients encouraged to take subjects on inclusive education in their initial training, and (b) what total number of teachers are produced for inclusive education through the Funza Lushaka bursary support? 

RESPONSE: 

Teachers with specialised capabilities for inclusive education are teachers who possess the skills, knowledge, and mindset to effectively address the diverse needs of all students in their classrooms. Inclusive education aims to embrace and accommodate learners with varying abilities, backgrounds, and learning styles.

Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree programmes can vary among different Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), however, all institutions know the importance of preparing future teachers to work in diverse classrooms and therefore include elements of inclusive education and training in the programme content.  Covering topics such as understanding diverse learning needs, creating inclusive classrooms, and implementing strategies to support students with varying abilities.   Modules or courses relating to special education introduce future teachers to the basics of working with students who have disabilities.

• The Funza Lushaka bursary recipients are encouraged to take inclusive education subjects through the prioritisation of subjects such as Braille, SASL and other Neurodevelopmental Needs such as Autistic Disorder, Severe and mild intellectual disorders, etc.
• To continue to encourage the students, through the Funza Lushaka Bursary, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) has reserved an amount of R100 000 per student to encourage students with disabilities to acquire assistive devices in accordance with their disabilities.
• On the other hand, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) is working with HEIs to encourage them to introduce inclusive education subjects, as most HEIs do not have them in their curricula, so when DBE encourages the intake of those subjects, student teachers should find them in those institutions.

(b) Through Funza Lushaka, we offer three inclusive education specialisations 1. SASL, 2. Braille, 3. Neurodevelopmental Needs. But only 16 students registered for SASL.  The other subjects had zero enrolments.