18 Sep 2019

Hiding children with disabilities has been described as a form of deprivation .

Assistant Minister of Basic Education Mr Thato Kwerepe said such practices denied children access to formal education where talents could be identified and nurtured.

He urged parents to desist from the habit of harbouring or keeping children with disabilities away from the public eye.

Mr Kwerepe was speaking in Gumare on Tuesday at an event to celebrate and recognise some Special Education Unit learners who formed part of the Okavango volleyball team which emerged gold medalists at the recent Special Olympics World Games held in Dubai.   

Mr Kwerepe said despite coming from an area with limited resources like Okavango, they managed to compete and win in a high-level competition.

“These children did an incredible job, they raised Gumare flag high,” he said.

Mr Kwerepe, therefore, donated clothes and shoes to participants and their coaches.

Mr Othusitse De Clark, a teacher at Kelekele Primary Special Education Unit said the road to the finals was not an easy journey.

He said it all started with the team emerging victorious at the national champions held in Francistown earlier this year, followed by intense preparations for the 2019 Special Olympics World Games in Dubai.

The first week in Dubai, Mr De Clark said, was for acclimatization ahead of the commencement of games in the second week, which contributed positively to the results.

The team which brought home gold medals comprised special education unit children from a number of Okavango area schools.ENDS