The Eastern Cape Department of Education Inclusive Education Directorate is hosting an outreach programme in Sarah Baartman and Nelson Mandela Bay Districts from the 6th-10th November 2023.

This outreach programme intends to introduce Inclusive Education initiatives to local communities, increase public awareness and offer therapeutic specialized assessments and oral health care to learners who experience learning barriers.

Senior Manager for Inclusive Education, Simon Ncapayi said in his opening remarks that this is an annual programme where it targets learners who needs assessment in various domains and oral health which is brought in by partners Disability Economic Empowerment Trust (DEET).

This is to avoid parents paying for services which the Department is providing for free using its own psychologists and therapists.

The Department is dedicated in implementing Inclusive Education policies that guarantees all learners needs, access to High-quality education. The project is in line with President Ramaphosa's Vision of a society in which disability is not a barrier to success as well as the white paper 6 on Inclusive Education and training.

" What makes a language 4 fundamentals are key namely Alphabet, phonetics, phonological and semantics. These are entrenched in four language basic skills namely speaking, writing, listening, and reading.  

Therefore, literacy of African indigenous languages namely isiXhosa and Sesotho who were previously proscribed as languages of teaching, learning and assessment in a quest to advance development in preservation of support is key.  

According to the and literacy of Afrikaans as the medium of instruction due to unavailability of specialized teachers in this domain and therefore learners are encouraged post matric to enroll in institutions of higher learning to address this," added Lumnkile Mgxegxwa, Chief Education Specialist in Language in Education policy Directorate.