R2E CwD Response to Annual Performance Plan on education for children with disabilities

Presentation outline

• Introduction• Speaking to following programmes• Programme 2: Curriculum Policy, Support and

Monitoring • Programme 3: Teachers, Education Human Resources

and Institutional Development• Programme 4: Planning, Information and Assessment• Programme 5: Educational Enrichment Services

• Conclusion and Recommendations

Introduction

• Omission of Annual Performance Plan to address education for children with disabilities in relation to special schools • E.g. Scholar transport not addressed even

though raised as strategic priority for 2012/13.• Agree with Honourable Surty (Dep. Min) in

relation to importance of promoting inclusive education and that we have policies in place for this

Programme 2: Curriculum Policy, Support and Monitoring• Screening Identification Assessment & Support

(SIAS)• Piloting of screening guidelines in Action Plan

Milestones• However 100 schools nationally being trained

on SIAS is not only completely unrealistic on what has been done, but is also completely unacceptable• Central to this is support the districts provide

Programme 3: Teachers, Education Human Resources…•Principal performance contracts• Lack of any skills development and

training for teachers in Inclusive Education• Includes managing diversity in

classes and disability specific training

Programme 4: Planning, Information and Assessment• Over-sized classes and children with disabilities

that require support• Out of school children• Performance indicator 7 – 15 years –

disproportionality high percentage of those are learners with disabilities• Low percentage of learners in age appropriate

grades speaks to the inability of the system to address barriers to learning and learner needs

Programme 5: Educational Enrichment Services• Transport constitutes a huge barrier to access

education for children with disabilities• Scholar transport is highlighted as strategic

priority for 2012/13, yet no mention is made of addressing it in programme 5, nor can we see evidence of any budgetary allocation • Interesting fact: Ca. 10 000 schools are targeted

for participation in choral eisteddfods – 100 times the number of schools targeted to receive training on SIAS

Conclusion

• Acknowledge positive initiatives by the DBE to improve basic education• National schools nutrition programme;• Low and no school fee initiatives, especially at

certain special schools;• Reports that NEEDU have published show real

insight into challenges in implementation of basic education • Any commend by DBE on implementing

recommendations of such reports are welcomed

Recommendations

• Programme 2:• As a matter of urgency to finalise revised SIAS

documentation;• Revise targets for training schools and districts on SIAS• Increase educators’ capacity (not just on literacy,

numeracy & science – managing diversity too) as part of the system to improve learner performance

• Programme 3:• Important to re-look at criteria for principals’

performance contracts

Thank you!

• Contact Details: Lorenzo Wakefield

Researcher: Children’s Rights ProjectCommunity Law CentreUniversity of the Western Capelwakefield@uwc.ac.za (021) 959 2950 (t)