20 Nov 2018

Permanent Secretary to the President has directed officials at the Central Resource Centre (CRC), Division of Special Education to absorb interns and Tirelo Sechaba employees attached at the centre on a permanent basis.

The CRC is an assessment and resource centre in the Division of Special Education situated in Tlokweng.

It is a facility where children are assessed to determine their educational needs for school placement and intervention strategies.

Addressing staff at the centre after touring facilities recently, Mr Carter Morupisi said it was not sustainable to keep training people dealing with children with special educational needs just for them to leave and be replaced by new staff.

Mr Morupisi also noted that if there were people willing to be re-tooled on understanding how the facility worked, and were also willing to work there, posts should be created for them.

He said he learnt a lot in what goes into making the assessment and resource centre function effectively for children with special educational needs.

“Sometimes when you are told about such facilities and what they do one thinks there is not much that goes into it, but after touring these facilities and being educated on the processes that take place here, I have a new found appreciation of the work that you do,” he said.

“I also want to commend you for your perseverance, patience, diligence and understanding that you have exhibited in executing your duties in the midst of shortage of resources and this is in line with President Dr Masisi’s vision and wish of doing the most with the little that we have and making sure that we do not leave anyone behind,” said Mr Morupisi.

He further encouraged management at the centre to submit written requests to his office on what the centre needed and promised to find a way to accommodate those needs because the facility was different from other mainstream schools.

Mr Morupisi said government had to find a unique way of disbursing resources to the centre, tailor-made for how the centre operated and its duties.

For his part, Acting permanent secretary in the Ministry of Basic Education Mr Simon Coles said CRC was a vital facility in the overall development of special educations services for children with special educational needs in Botswana.

He said clients who were suspected or diagnosed with various disabilities for interventions at CRC included among others developmental disabilities (i.e. delayed milestones), acquired disabilities, cognitive disorders (e.g. learning disabilities, mental retardation), communication disorders, emotional/behavioural disorders, sensory impairments (e.g. vision, hearing and tactile), neurological disorders, birth defects, multiple disabilities and motor coordination problem.

Facilities at CRC include assessment/stimulation rooms, therapy rooms, visual assessment rooms, braille production unit, hearing assessment room, resource room and library, mini conference room, playground and guesthouses/hostels including dining hall.

Some of the concerns that employees shared with Mr Morupisi included shortage of staff, staff development, delayed promotion and progression as well as lack of accommodation. ENDS