Community demanding jobs, tenders stops special-needs pupils from going to school

A community at Orange Farm disrupted the activities of Duzenendlela special school on Thursday, calling for jobs and bids while saying the school should be converted into a mainstream school.

Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi,” noted concern” that some community members were preventing students and teachers from entering the school.

“The incident allegedly occurred because some community members were demanding the school be converted into a mainstream school and also claimed that the school was some excluded students,” the department said in a statement.

People were also demanding jobs and vacancies from the school, and accused SGB of hiring people from outside the community.

“Duzenendlela is one of the few schools that educate learners with special needs. We condemn this disruption and firmly believe it is fueled by selfish actions by some community members who deny the most vulnerable learners the right to an education.”

Lesufi said it was unfair for people to have a such a school would be disruptive, even going so far as to call for it to become a mainstream school.

“We have invested in improving and opening more schools for special needs learners to reduce the waiting list. The community should be asking for more schools like this,” said Lesufi.