Mpumalanga Education Department has failed to create a facility for deaf learners for more than a decade.
The mpumalanga has passed over the education department to pay a fare of R22 million in a year in a year, which adjusts disabled students instead of creating a feature promised 14 years ago.
It has represented education experts and association with disabilities who want the matter to be investigated.
Mpumalanga Education MEC Cathy Dlami recently confirmed during an education portfolio committee meeting that his department was paying the Bukhosibetfu Private Boarding School in Nkomazi local municipality, which was a per year to teach and adjust 253 deaf students.
‘It does not make sense’
People with disabilities South Africa Provincial President Oop Jita accused the department of not taking the needs of students seriously with the disabled.
“Special schools that are delayed in making them will cost only R15 million,” Jita said. “This is no meaning for them to pay R22 million fare, but fail to build a school.”
He said that the authorities come with excuses when asked why the project was being delayed. “They told us that they have not yet identified a site to build,” Jit said.
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lack of commitment?
Education expert Hendrik Makaneeta said that it was strange that the government had been struggling to build a school for 14 years, yet it was spending so much money on rent.
Makaneeta said that the department’s failure indicates the lack of commitment to meet the needs of disabled students.
He said, “Spending such a significant amount on rent does not make any meaning because it can be redirected towards building and maintaining public facilities that meet students with special needs,” he said.
Call for action
Matakanya Matakanya, general secretary of the National Association of School Governing Bodies, said that action should be taken against careless officials. “We condemn this behavior.
This amount is considered to help in distribution of course. This failure needs to be investigated to establish what is the reason for the delay, ”Matakanya said.
The department justifies the fare
Jasper Zwen, a spokesman for education of MPumalanga department, did not give specific answers to why the construction of the school has been delayed.
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Instead, he justified the action to rent his department’s facility. “The department has ensured that all 253 deaf students have been adjusted in a favorable environment for quality education,” Zeen said.
“This initiative cannot be considered as useless expenditure, as it directly supports the fulfillment of the constitutional right of students for basic education.
‘Plans are being tracked rapidly’
“Recognizing the urgency and importance of a permanent solution, the department has taken decisive action. Such a measure includes revival of Shongve Boarding School to provide immediate assistance to these students.
“In addition, plans are being rapidly tracked for the construction of a dedicated school for deaf and blind students in the Emalahleni local municipality. Plan and design phase for this new facility is in an advanced phase.”
Eric Mokonama, the provincial manager of the South African Human Rights Commission, said: “After several busyness about the promised school, we have received a commitment from the premiere office that the facility will begin in 2025–26 financial year.
“We are working on achieving their plans so that we can monitor the implementation.”
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