"We Are Still Fighting For A School For My Child."

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Anoldis, 11 “My wish is to see Anoldis going to school like all other children. I’m looking for anyone who can help me take my child to school.” The Ministry of Education told 11-year-old Anoldis’ aunt, Gertrude, that they could not help with Anoldis’ education. Anoldis has never been to school and only says a few words. Anoldis has cerebral palsy, Down Syndrome, and epilepsy. Gertrude has consulted different government officials, and medical and educational professionals in a bid to find a school for her. Mainstream schools cannot accommodate her needs, but Anoldis cannot access a special school either because she does not have the disability assessment report required by schools. Her aunt cannot afford a special school because she is not working. Under the government’s “Screening, Identification, Assessment and Support” (SIAS) policy, children are assessed for learning barriers and provided with support. Human Rights Watch found that the SIAS policy is not being implemented uniformly in many schools. Some special schools carry out their own assessments prior to admitting children conditionally, and some schools continue to exclude children who cannot afford to pay for an assessment of their disability.
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Delight, 7 “I am wishing one day that my boy will go to school. And that one day he can be what he wants in life… I wish my boy to be like [other] kids and enjoy life…” Seven-year-old Delight does not go to school. He has not been accepted to a mainstream school and his family does not have any money for a special school. He has cerebral palsy, which limits his physical mobility and cognitive development. Delight’s mother, Nontilantila, wants him to go school and be in an environment where he will be supported. She will be happy when he has a school and a good place to stay. Primary education is not automatically free in South Africa. Children with disabilities who attend special schools pay fees that children without disabilities do not. School fees in special schools visited by Human Rights Watch in 2014 and 2015 ranged from R350-R750 (US$32-$68) per each of the year’s four terms. The current fee-based system particularly discriminates against children with disabilities who attend public special schools. This results in many children with disabilities paying school fees that many children without disabilities do not, as well as additional costs, such as uniforms, food, and transport. This breaches the government’s international obligation to guarantee primary education free of charge for all children.
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Elohim, 6 “We are still fighting for a school [for] my child, as we know that education is very important to everyone no matter [the] condition of a person.” In 2015, Elohim was attending a mainstream Early Development Center and was playing, counting, and going to pre-school with other children. However, in 2016, Elohim, who has Down Syndrome, was removed because the Department of Social Development had advised he be removed and placed in a special school. Elohim is now on a waiting list for a nearby special school. His parents found a private school further away from the township, but they cannot afford the school’s fees of R800 ($55.56) per month, transportation costs of R600 ($41.66) per month, or the screening assessment required by the school. Instead of accessing nearby mainstream schools, many children with disabilities have no option but to travel long distances, sometimes 30—100 kilometers, to access the nearest school that will accommodate them. Transport fees represent an additional barrier for children and adolescents with disabilities. Human Rights Watch found that often social development grants given to families with children with severe disabilities who are in need of full-time support and special care, cannot cover school fees and all additional costs. The government has a legal obligation to ensure children with disabilities can access free primary education and secondary education in the communities in which they live.
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Siyabonga, 17* “Mom ha[s] been busy looking for another school which is proper for him.” Siyabonga, 17, started school when he was 6 years old but left because his family could not afford the school fees. Siyabonga, who is a “slow learner” and has been assessed with epilepsy, started school again age 16 but left two special schools after he was sexually assaulted by other students. He has not been in school since June 2015, and his mom is trying to find him a safe school to attend. Lawyers Against Abuse, who are handling his assault case, informed the Gauteng Department of Education about his situation. In April 2016, government education officials visited Siyabonga’s house for assessments and promised to come back and place him in a school. As of August 2016, Siyabonga is still not in school and has not received any news from the Department. Many students are exposed to violence and sexual abuse in many of South Africa’s schools, but children with disabilities are more vulnerable to such unlawful and abusive actions. Human Rights Watch documented numerous cases of physical violence, and neglect of children and young adults with disabilities in mainstream, full-service, and special schools. There is a lack of accountability for perpetrators and school officials who do not take action to investigate and protect students. Some parents are worried about safety and are reluctant to send their children to school. *Pseudonym provided and photo withheld for protection purposes.
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Rito, 8 “[I’m] still confused because he is still staying at home, not going to school.” Eight-year-old Rito and his mother Saliphina moved more than 350 kilometers from Limpopo to Diepsloot, a township in Gauteng province, leaving behind his two older siblings, to find a school for Rito. Saliphina could not find a school for him in Limpopo. He was not accepted into a special school in Limpopo because the school said it could not accept any more students with disabilities. Rito does not speak clearly and is slower than other children at activities. His mother thinks he has Down Syndrome, but government officials have not assessed him. Even in Diepsloot, Saliphina is still fighting to get Rito assessed, and he is still out of school. She cannot work because he requires constant care. Human Rights Watch found that there is a lack of adequate information and support services for caregivers. Most caregivers lack information about their children’s disabilities, abilities, or the right type of education for them.  Waiting lists for special schools are often long with admission being delayed year after year. In 2015, the government estimated that at least 5,552 learners with disabilities were on waiting lists across the country. Human Rights Watch found that a lack of governmental oversight of waiting lists and placements leaves schools with the last word on enrolling students, denying children with disabilities their right to free and compulsory primary education.
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Sibusiso  “I even cried looking in the mirror. What have I done to get what I have with no help at all? But I continue to look for something for Sibusiso … And I appeal to the department of education, don’t sit in the office not doing your job, visit school … [there] is a huge problem in the school [we] need you to deal with.” When Reginan wanted her son Sibusiso to repeat Grade 7 because of his poor results, she was told “the Department of Education does not want children to repeat the class.” Reginan insisted and Sibusiso repeated Grade 7 but continued to struggle in class because of his Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The teachers said they would ask a psychologist to observe and assess Sibusiso at school. Reginan waited for many months but no one came. Sibusiso refused to go to his mainstream school after experiencing bullying and mocking by students because he was not coping with his school work, and struggled in class. With the intervention of Afrika Tikkun, Sibusiso was assessed at the hospital. Reginan then went to the hospital psychologist every month until her son was adequately assessed. Sibusiso now attends a special school. Human Rights Watch has found that many students in special schools do not have access to the same subjects as children in mainstream schools, jeopardizing their access to a full curriculum. Their progression into skills-based work, employment, or further education is affected by the type and quality of education available in the special schools they attend. While progressively guaranteeing inclusive education to all children, the government should improve the quality of education in special schools to ensure the current generation of children who want and need their services can benefit from education on an equal basis with students in mainstream schools.
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Sanele, 8 “He’s always asking me … when is he going to school and why he’s not in school.” Sanele, 8, is a hyperactive child, running around everywhere and making funny noises. Sanele was in mainstream school in 2015 but, after a few weeks, Anelisa, kept receiving calls that she had to come and fetch him from school. He was not coping, could not focus, and could not manage the work. The school asked him to leave because he was very hyperactive. For many years, Sanele went to the educational psychologist and to hospital for an assessment, which was a long process. Sanele’s mom, Anelisa, only found out in 2016 that he has autism. Anelisa was told to find another school for him. His mother approached two special schools, but was told they will not enroll Sanele until he is on medication to control his behavior. Children with autism spectrum disorder are often misplaced or excluded from schools due to misunderstandings about their needs and behaviors. Human Rights Watch found that teachers in mainstream and special schools lack the knowledge, training, and skills to provide support for learners who need high levels of support, including children with some forms of autism. Many students with disabilities enrolled in mainstream schools face discriminatory physical and attitudinal barriers they need to overcome in order to receive an education. The government must ensure children with disabilities receive a quality education on an equal basis.
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Sabina, 6 “When I saw her progress, I was so excited because she is doing well.” At the age of 18 months, Sabina’s mother, Lebogang, had noticed she was very hyperactive and could not speak. She struggled first to get an assessment and then to get educational support for Sabina. To be assessed, Sabina went from the doctor to the hospital to an occupational and speech therapist, after which Lebogang was told Sabina has autism. In 2015, five-year-old Sabina should have enrolled in pre-school, but was out of school for eight months. Two nearby Early Development Centers said Sabina needed to go to a special school. In 2016, Sabina started at the Johannesburg Hospital School of Autism, a special school for children with autism spectrum disorder. Gauteng Province has increased the availability of school placements for children with autism by building a number of new special schools exclusively for children with autism and opening autism units in other schools. But the provincial government has not announced plans to ensure children with autism can be accommodated in mainstream schools, where they should be provided with the necessary support to learn alongside students without disabilities.