Government has given the Ministry of Education and Training a directive to accelerate training for all teachers in special schools as a means to combat discrimination of learners with special needs.

The Minister for Education and Training Dr Phineas Magagula says the key element to combat discrimination is promoting inclusive education and equality for all learners with special needs and disabilities, including deaf learners.

Speaking during the commemoration of the Deaf Day at the High School For The Deaf in Matsetsa, Magagula said “it is for that reason that the Ministry is making means to partner with local and international universities to mount programs that will equip teachers in special and inclusive education.”

He remarked that it is in the Ministry’s action plan to fast-track training not only for teachers but also for those that support teachers in the classroom such as Braille Transcribers and Sign Language Interpreters.

He implored local institutions of higher learning to assist in mounting these specialised programmes such as Studies on Deaf Education and Sign Language.

“I am aware that a number of teachers have been trained in special needs through Government scholarship and support from development partners. But it is also a fact that there is still a large number of teachers who do not have even basic training in special needs,” remarked the Minister.

He encouraged teachers to also take advantage of the already existing programmes at the Southern Africa Nazarene University (SANU) that offers specialisation in Special Needs and Inclusive Education.

SANU has a 3 year part-time degree in Special Needs and Inclusive Education, which started in 2012 and another part-time degree in Leadership and Management of Inclusive Education, which targets school administrators and it started in 2013.