INSTITUTIONALIZED CHILD CARE IN URBAN SOUTH AFRICA

country, as South African children are taught in primary school.
Three students got off at the school, including the two oldest boys and the oldest
girl. Looking at the school, I wondered if it might be a school for the gifted, given its
location and appearance. I would later be corrected by Pastor Mike. Elandspark
apparently focused on special education for slower learners. The next school we would
visit would also have a special education focus, although this time more specialized
towards attention deficit issues. It took another 20 minutes of driving before we arrived at
Forrest Town School, this time to drop off only one student. In an hour, only four
students had left the bus.
It was another 20 minutes before our next school, again for a drop off of only two
students. St. Vincent’s was a school for the deaf, and one of the hearing children helped a
pair of deaf siblings across the street to their school. In about another 20 minutes, we
arrived at our next stop, where finally, a significant portion of the students attended.
About half the bus got off at McCauley House, a Catholic school that educated boys and
girls up until grade eight, then only girls from that point forward. Only 10 minutes from
there would be the final stop at New Nation school, where the majority of the children
went.
Over two hours later Marc and I were back at the center, where he parked the bus
outside. “To tell you the truth, this is not easy,” commented Marc. “But it’s what I have
to do for now.” In just a few hours, he would have to leave to make the same journey all
over again to pick the children up. “Sometimes I might get told that one of the girls has to
stay later at school for some reason, so I may need to make another trip just for one at
half past four. This part of my day alone is quite demanding.”
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