Annual Performance Plan Jaarlikse ... - National Treasury

The rationalisation of special schools in the province in order to promote accessibility of learners experiencing barriers
to learning is a priority. The strengthening of special schools/resource centres is critical in order to provide specialised
support to mainstream and full service schools in conjunction with the district-based support teams. This priority is also
linked with the national Inclusive Education field-testing project in the three nodal zones of the province and includes the
upgrading of capacity to provide specialised services to learners with high intensity support needs, and upgrading of
physical facilities of schools in order to improve accessibility.
Progress analysis
Currently there are 14 199 learners in the 67 special schools of which seven offer the FET curriculum. The learner enrolment
of the Cape Academy of Mathematics, Science and Technology was increased to 274 learners and the curriculum expanded
to Grade 12. Two science laboratories were inaugurated and final hostel facilities were upgraded. There are currently 274
learners (Grade 10 to 12) at the Academy.
Owing to the great demand for placement of learners at Schools of Skills, two new schools have been established, namely
the Mitchell’s Plain School of Skills and Siviwe School of Skills in Gugulethu.
The Department of Culture Affairs and Sport and the WCED, jointly established the Western Cape Sports School in Kuils
River.
Training of personnel from youth centres and the support services at EMDCs in skills for dealing with challenging behaviour,
and training of personnel as facilitators of youth developmental programmes is ongoing. Facilitators of youth developmental
programmes for the Mapping the Future Programme and Drug Information Programme were trained in all EMDCs. EMDCsupport
staff and personnel from youth centres were trained in therapeutic skills courses i.e. restorative interviewing,
restorative group intervention, drug counselling and dealing with the sexual offender. A total of 631 staff members
participated in the training programmes.
Minimum standards for special education services for learners at-risk have been approved and distributed to EMDCs for
implementation. The aims of these standards are to ensure that services are effective and efficient, that the principles of the
SA Constitution, other legislation and international instruments (UN Convention on the Rights of the Child) are upheld as well
as to identify delivery challenges and building the capacity and resources needed to develop the schools.
Analysis of constraints and measures planned to overcome them
The current provisioning in the special school sector is inadequate to accommodate the vast number of learners
experiencing barriers to learning referred to the special schools. This results in waiting lists at the existing special schools.
The envisaged rationalisation of special schools has as an objective to improve service delivery and accessibility in order to
accommodate more learners. Although, in the short term, the availability of sufficient funding and additional CS-educator
posts for expanding the capacity of special schools is a challenge, ways of addressing this concern will be deliberated in the
medium to long term.
Learners manifesting serious emotional, behavioural and psychiatric barriers to learning cannot be accommodated at the
existing special schools nor at youth centres. These educational institutions do not have the capacity to provide the intensive
level of support and treatment required. The service delivery models of the Departments of Health and Social Development
are similarly inadequate to provide these specialised services. As a result these unfortunate learners cannot access the
curriculum effectively nor find appropriate care and therapeutic programmes. Some learners come into conflict with the law
as a result of the lack of services and are criminalized in the process and then referred in terms of the Child Care Act, 1983
and the Criminal Procedures Act, 1977 to youth centres and special youth centres respectively. Discussions with the relevant
sister departments in order to address this gap in service delivery is envisaged.
Annual Performance Plan 2007/08 – 2009/10
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