Government-funded programmes and services for vulnerable - Unicef

Government-funded programmes and services for vulnerable children in SA
● ensuring retention of all learners until the end of their 15th year;
● improving access to quality ECD below Grade 1;
● improving grade promotion;
● improving access to Further Education and Training after Grade 9.
Discrimination
Discrimination against children with disabilities
The policy and legislative framework for guaranteeing that children with disabilities are
admitted to and retained at ordinary public schools in the first instance, and at special
needs schools where necessity dictates, is fairly progressive. However, the implementation
of this policy has been inadequate. Many children with disabilities of school-going age are
not in school. It is estimated that, on average, approximately 22.5 per cent of children
(380 000) with disabilities between the ages of 7 and 15 were out of school in 2007
(Fleisch et al. 2009: 43).
The reasons for the poor enrolment rate of children with disabilities are insufficient
learning and support facilities and ongoing discrimination (Coetzee & Streak 2004).
Children with disabilities require specialised services and learning support to facilitate
their meaningful access to school and to ensure quality educational outcomes. The lack
of services and support is particularly problematic in rural areas where there is a lack of
special needs schools, inadequate facilities and insufficiently trained teachers in ordinary
public schools to accommodate learners with special learning needs (Padayachee 2005).
Physical access is a problem, as the majority of public schools (97 per cent) have no
paved access from the school gate to the buildings, no ramps into their buildings and no
toilets for people with disabilities (Presidency 2009: 120).
Discrimination and stigmatisation contribute to erratic attendance and even to children
with disabilities dropping out of school. ‘Discrimination and participation are closely
linked. Stigmatising attitudes to disability lead to discrimination, which in turn becomes a
barrier to social inclusion and participation’ (Presidency 2009: 120).
The DoE recognised these inadequacies in Education White Paper 6 and developed a
plan – documented in its 2009–2013 Strategic Plan – to scale up accessible inclusive
education for children with special needs. Its 2012 target is to review 400 special schools,
rationalise them and upgrade the facilities they have so as to ensure quality education
for learners with special learning needs. In addition, special schools will be upgraded to
become special needs centres that will serve as centres of support to ordinary schools and
offer support to out-of-school youth with disabilities. The Department further commits
to improving the resources and infrastructure at 80 per cent of ordinary schools so as
to ensure that they can provide inclusive education for learners with a range of learning
needs. 82
Discrimination against children affected by HIV/AIDS
A large body of policies have been developed with the objective of addressing the barriers
to education for children affected by HIV/AIDS, including:
● HIV-related illness of learners;
82 Strategic Plan 2009–2013 (DoE 2009) and the National Policy for an Equitable Provision of an Enabling School
Physical, Teaching and Learning Environment
170