Hostels for disabled learners due in Moroka

Pini Bothoko | Tuesday May 5, 2015 12:38

The school is the only one in the North East district with a special unit, and all children with disabilities who attend the institution are forced to travel long distances to and fro to attend school. The school caters for a total of 39 students with special needs.

The desperate state of affairs has forced teachers and residents of Moroka to partner and volunteer for the construction of hostels for the vulnerable children. The school’s principal, Adellile Gunda – the brains behind the idea – said that the distance vulnerable children are forced to travel daily to school is of great concern.

“Ever since I was transferred here in 2012, I have been having sleepless nights about the vulnerable children.

I came up with the idea of raising funds for the construction of hostels back in 2013 and this was begun last year July,” she said.

The school head revealed that affected disabled learners have been struggling with the situation for the past eight years, as special classes were introduced in 2007. The district’s vastness, she said, had contributed to the problem.

“Some of the children are forced to travel close to 80km daily and this is something that negatively affects their studies. Just imagine travelling daily from as far as Masunga, Kgari, Ramokgwebana, Zwenshambe, Mapoka to mention just a few. On arrival you have to concentrate in class. This is the situation that the children were facing,” she explained.

Gunda disclosed that the children have different disabilities, which make their learning difficult and necessitating greater study time. However, at present, the school head said the children spend little time in school, as the only bus has to drop them in different villages located far apart and this hinders teachers’ efforts to help them receive proper education. She expressed concern that in addition, the little time the special needs’ student spend at school means they lack socialisation as they arrive at school a bit late and disperse at midday when their peers are still in lessons.

Already in the fundraising effort, a resident, Clark Moroka, has donated a plot with a screen wall located a few meters away from the school where the hostels will be built.

Gunda added that they had received donations from individuals, companies and are still pleading for assistance from members of the public. 

The Parents Teachers Association (PTA) chairperson, Siani Ndebele applauded the school for devising this brilliant idea. Ndebele shared Gunda’s sentiments, asserting that the distance affects learner’s studies negatively and pledged parents’ support.