Parliament slams ‘absurd’ state of education for learners with disabilities
Report criticises lack of tailored education facilities
A parliamentary committee says there is a dire lack of resources to meet the needs of learners with specific educational needs.
Parliament has called for the urgent establishment of schools for children with special educational needs.
A parliamentary committee investigation in the Kavango regions found that children with learning disabilities are placed into classrooms with other children due to a dire shortage of qualified teachers with specialised skills and a lack of resources.
There is also a high dropout rate among children with disabilities because they often endure bullying and abuse, the report notes.
These were the findings of the parliamentary standing committee on human resources and development during a recent visit, as outlined in a report presented in parliament this week.
“Currently, the ministry of education has four resource units in Kavango East and one in Kavango West. However, the resources are not enough and need to be upgraded to meet the needs of learners with special educational needs," the report states.
"The committee learned that because of the sector policy and inclusive education, these learners are ‘mixed’ or put in one group irrespective of their social level or groupings, which is an absurd situation for those learners that need special education."
Individual attention needed
Last month the Namibia National Students Organisation (NANSO) called for the inclusion of special school performance data in national education statistics, following the release of the 2024 National Secondary Senior Certificate Ordinary Level (NSSCO) and Advanced Subsidiary Level (NSSCAS) exam results.
The organisation argues that the exclusion of special schools from these key educational reports is further widening the educational gap for students with learning disabilities.
Nanso also called for improved resource allocation to special schools to ensure that students with disabilities receive the support they need to succeed and proposed the establishment of individualised education programmes for learners with special needs.
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A parliamentary committee investigation in the Kavango regions found that children with learning disabilities are placed into classrooms with other children due to a dire shortage of qualified teachers with specialised skills and a lack of resources.
There is also a high dropout rate among children with disabilities because they often endure bullying and abuse, the report notes.
These were the findings of the parliamentary standing committee on human resources and development during a recent visit, as outlined in a report presented in parliament this week.
“Currently, the ministry of education has four resource units in Kavango East and one in Kavango West. However, the resources are not enough and need to be upgraded to meet the needs of learners with special educational needs," the report states.
"The committee learned that because of the sector policy and inclusive education, these learners are ‘mixed’ or put in one group irrespective of their social level or groupings, which is an absurd situation for those learners that need special education."
Individual attention needed
Last month the Namibia National Students Organisation (NANSO) called for the inclusion of special school performance data in national education statistics, following the release of the 2024 National Secondary Senior Certificate Ordinary Level (NSSCO) and Advanced Subsidiary Level (NSSCAS) exam results.
The organisation argues that the exclusion of special schools from these key educational reports is further widening the educational gap for students with learning disabilities.
Nanso also called for improved resource allocation to special schools to ensure that students with disabilities receive the support they need to succeed and proposed the establishment of individualised education programmes for learners with special needs.
[email protected]
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