Question NW426 to the Minister of Basic Education

Reply:

1. (a), (b), (c) and (d). The table below shows the number of appropriately trained sign language teachers at Foundation, Intermediate, Senior and Further Education and Training Phases in each province.

Province	Foundation Phase	Intermediate Phase	(c)Senior Phase	(d)Further Education and Training Phase	Total
Eastern Cape	35	22	26	16	99
Free State	16	2	3	3	24
Gauteng	11	10	11	1	33
KwaZulu-Natal					31
Limpopo	26	20	22	17	85
Mpumalanga	13	9	No school catering for FET	22
North West	12	11	2	0	25
Northern Cape	4	3(7)	3(6)	2(5)	12(18)
Western Cape	7	5	5	5	22

Source: Provincial reporting

2. (a) and (b). The table below shows the names of schools that cater for learners with hearing impairments; and the number of appropriately trained teachers in specified schools in each province.

Province	(a) School	(b) Number of Teachers
Eastern Cape	Efata	35
	St Thomas	28
	Reubin Birin	21
	Sive	15
Totals	4	99
Free State	Bartimea Special School	13
	Thiboloha Special School	11 (2 specialist teachers teaching sign language as a subject.
TOTAL	2	24
Gauteng	Dominican	9 (7)
	Filadelfia	2(4)
	Katlehong School for the Deaf	6(7)
	MC Kharbai	4(4)
	Sizwile	5(3)
	St Vincent	4(3)
	Transoranje	3(3)
Totals	7	33(31)
KwaZulu-Natal	Fulton School for the Deaf	2 (4) assistants in brackets.
	KwaThintwa School for the Deaf	2(6)
	VN Naik School for the Deaf	3(4)
	Durban School for the Deaf	3(4)
	KwaVulindlebe School for the Deaf	0(5)
	Indaleni School for the Deaf	1(7)
	Vuleka School for the Deaf	7(5)
	St Martin de Porres	8(2)
	Bumbisizwe Special School	1(2)
	Inkanyezi Special School	2(1)
	Inkanyiso Special School	0(1)
TOTAL	11	29(43)
Limpopo	Setotolwane	34
	Yingisani	17
	Bosele	15
	Tshilidzini	15
	Sedibeng	4
TOTAL	5	85
Mpumalanga	Kamagugu	6
	Silindokuhle	12
	Bukhosibetfu	4
	Marietjie	2
	Wolvenkop	3
TOTAL	5	27
Northern Cape	Retlamelang	12
TOTAL	1	12
Western Cape
	De la Bat	80% 0f teachers in the schools completed SASL linguistic training university level
	Nuwe Hoop
	Dominican Wittebome
	Mary Kihn
	Noluthando School

Source: Provincial reporting

(3) (a)(b)(c). The table below shows the number and names full service schools catering for learners with hearing impairments; and the number of appropriately trained teachers deployed at each school. Only the Free State and Mpumalanga have Full Service Schools that cater for learners with hearing impairments.

Number of Schools; And (b) Names of schools	Number of appropriately trained teachers
Free State
Botle ba Thuto P/S	No teachers appropriately trained Teachers and parents of learners who are identified with hearing impairments were provided with strategies on how to support these learners
Jagersfontein I/S
Mofulatshepe P/S
Oranjekrag I/S
Zama P/S
Christiaan de Wet I/S (Ordinary School)
Gelukwaarts IF/S
Hermana P/S
Jim Fouche P/S
Mabela P/S
Maboloka P/S
Pontsheng P/S
Dieketseng P/S
Hlaboloha P/S
Kegomoditswe
Winburg C/S
Kweetsa P/S
Letsibolo P/s
Malebaleba P/S
Ntuthuzelo P/S
Refihletse P/S
Reseamohetse P/S
Thoriso P/S
Chris van Niekerk I/S
JJ Kubheka P/S
Ntshwephepa P/S
Poelamo P/S
Sentrale Volkskool P/S
Theha Setjhaba P/S
Lesoana P/S
Letlotlo P/S
Mafube P/S
Leifo Iziko I/S
Mphatlalatsane P/S
Masaleng P/S
Pulamadiboho P/S
Qhubeka P/S
Sekgothadi P/S
Theboho P/s
TOTAL= 41 SCHOOLS
MPUMALANGA
Bukihosibetfu Full Service School	4
TOTAL= 1 SCHOOL

Source: Provincial reporting

(4) The following are the steps taken to bridge the gap caused by shortages for appropriately trained sign language teachers in each province.

Eastern Cape

The Eastern Cape Department of Education has entered into a partnership with the Education and Training Sector Education and Training Authority (ETDP SETA) to train all educators in four Schools for the Deaf. The EDTP SETA has in turn, contracted University of Witwatersrand (WITS) to train educators in two workshops of five days per year in 2014 and 2015. The partnership with Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) continues in the 2016/17 until all educators in these schools are qualified to teach Sign Language.

Free State

Teachers at Bartimea and Thiboloha Special Schools for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing were trained on the South African Sign Language (SASL) Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) at Home Language level. Teachers were also trained on sign language as a means of communication.

Gauteng

• Continuous SASL competency training takes place.
• Currently all teachers teaching SASL as a subject have NQF Level 5.
• All SASL teachers have deaf class assistants to compliment the language skill and to adopt the team teaching approach;
• Collaboration with Wits Centre for Deaf Studies to assist with Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) for SASL, focusing on prose and poetry.

KwaZulu-Natal

The Inclusive Education Directorate has arranged with ETDP SETA to fund SASL training and the up-skilling of teachers from the above-mentioned schools. ETDP SETA has secured the services of the Wits Language School to undertake the training, assessment and certification of teachers. In the current training cohort, there are six (6) District officials and fifty seven (57) teachers receiving training in SASL. The training programme which extends over 15 days commenced in December 2015 and will continue in March-April 2016.

Mpumalanga

• There is ongoing orientation of stakeholders on the approved SASL CAPS which includes, Curriculum Implementers (CIs), School Management Teams (SMTs), Deaf Teacher Assistants and educators;
• The Education department of Mpumalanga is providing training of teachers, Language Subject Advisors and Deaf teacher assistants on SASL;
• 45 teachers have to date been trained on NQF Level 4 and 5;
• 60 Foundation Phase Language Subject Advisors and Inclusive Education officials have been trained on the basics of SASL; and
• For the financial year 2015/16, 60 teachers will be trained on NQF Level 4 and 5 by the University of Free State. The training will take place from 25 February to 12 March 2016.

Limpopo

All teachers teaching learners with hearing impairments have been trained on basic SASL and further advanced training at the University (Advanced Diploma) level is planned for the future.

Western Cape

18 educators are being trained on SASL through the ETDPSETA by the University of Witwatersrand. Of the number given eight (8) are doing the advance level. In 2014 to 2015; thirty four (34) educators and officials were trained on SASL. The training on SASL will continue annually for all the educators.