19 Aug 2013

The ministries of health as well as that of education and skills development have reserved money to assist the Sekgele Training Home Society (STHS) to establish a pre-school for children with special needs in Gumare.

The officials from the two ministries did not disclose the amount of money reserved but assured the stakeholders during a consultative meeting that they were ready to provide the financial assistance to kick start the project. The principal education officer, Ms Victoria Ramaribana, said the project took long to start and yet they are concerned with the learners which are currently at home without any assistance.

It has been revealed that there was a delay to start the project as the identified plot was small and members of the society had been struggling to secure a bigger plot. The aim of the society was to ask any unused structure in the village that can be used for pre-school while awaiting funds to build a permanent school.

STHS started as an informal village committee in 1993 by a group of elderly people with disabilities, their caregivers and traditional leaders and their mandate is to remove barriers of people living with disabilities (PWDs) in education, health care, employment social security, political decision making and recreation and exercise.

Ms Ramaribana advised members of the society to kick start the project, noting that her ministry would establish stimulation exercise programmes, train identified volunteers and also procure educational material.

“Our main concern is the children who have no access to education and yet it has been revealed that the society has material which could be used while waiting to secure a plot,” she added.

She said if the project was already started, the ministry could have taken an extra mile to hire a special education teacher on temporary basis but expressed concern that the project has delayed.

She also suggested that members could have requested a classroom from one of the primary schools so that they could stimulate children for at least 1-2 hours daily.

The Chief Health Officer, Mr Ben Gareegope, explained that initially they intended to assist the society with funds through Thuso Rehabilitation Centre which is already established but realized that STHS is a registered society with a bank account.

He expressed frustration that no development took place although the two organisations promised to work together.

Mr Gareegope said they identified a building at Thuso centre which was to be renovated to accommodate the children, adding that they provided funds for the project but the money was not used because the two centres were not ready.

He advised the two organisations to come up with a temporary solution for the benefit of the children, adding that there are many government facilities which are under-utilized in Gumare.

“Members of STHS should bargain for use of any government facility and start the project as soon as possible,” he added. He also encouraged all stakeholders to work as a team for the success of the project.

A member of STHS, Ms Ogomoditse Matebedi, said they made efforts to secure a plot from the council but they were rejected as the officials wanted to see a proof of sponsorship.

She also noted that they approached the construction company that had been engaged to construct roads in the village to request for one caravan but the response had been negative. Ends