Radebe makes donation to special needs school

A SPECIAL needs school in Gugulethu received a return visit from Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe, who donated sports equipment and new technology.

Tembaletu Special School received state-of-the-art Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) technology, costing in the region of R84 000 to aid its severely-disabled pupils. It will be delivered in a week’s time.

New soccer and table tennis equipment, gazebos and a much-needed trailer for the transport of wheelchairs was also donated.

Radebe visited the school – one of the few special needs schools within disadvantaged communities in the province – in February to find out what challenges it faced.

Principal Veronica Gavu said she was overwhelmed with the donations and especially the new technology they would receive. “We have over 200 learners at our school, many are able to walk with the aid of crutches, while others are severely disabled and even unable to speak. The AAC technology will allow our pupils to finally access our full curriculum.”

The ACC technology provides keyboards with extra large keys to support those with visual or fine motor control difficulties, a mouse that is controlled with head movement, or a computer controlled with only eye movements.

The school’s speech therapists, Colleen Francis and Wendy Overett,were the most excited, as they work with pupils with cerebral palsy and other severe body disabilities.

ACC technology is expensive and Tembalethu will be one of the few, if not the only special needs school from a disadvantaged area in the country, to have such tools.

Radebe said since the establishment of the school in 1974, the finances for buildings, equipment and wheelchairs were raised through donations mainly from business, NGOs and private trusts.

“Education is the single most important element that can take South Africa forward, through which the poor can transform into significant players in the country’s economy. As I hand over the sports equipment and electronic gadgets, including speech therapy devices, I am aware that it’s not enough.”

He said this was a gesture to challenge local communities, businesses and government officials in this region, to continue with acts of goodwill.

Picture: CINDY WAXA GAME ON: Asiphe Vilo and Ahlumile Klass playing with the new table tennis equipment donated by Minister in the Presidency for planning, monitoring and evaluation Jeff Radebe, to Tembaletu School for pupils with special needs and physical disabilities,...