18 Aug 2020

Tutume Sub-district Council has an annual special budget of P14 000 to assist Timbi Primary School to assist and cater for  pupils living with disabilities.

Answering a question in Parliament, Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Sethabelo Modukanele said the funds were used to purchase the required teaching and learning materials for the learners.

He said Timbi Primary School which admits learners with special needs in Tutume was provided with support through provision of relevant special education material, in order for teachers to confidently handle the learners and school support visits.

Furthermore, he said the sub-council also provided cleaning materials to ensure the teaching and learning environment was safe for the teachers and pupils.

“The school is performing very well as it integrates the special education learners into those in the main stream. The school has for the past five years been achieving above 80 per cent in Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE),” he explained.

Mr Modukanele highlighted that currently the school had been provided with one teacher, five temporary teachers and two caretakers to enable the pupils to observe social distancing as was required.

In addition, the assistant minister noted that the council had allocated a specially designed minibus to the school, in order to transport learners with disabilities to and from school on a daily basis.

He explained that transportation of pupils dated back to 2014.

 Nkange MP, Dr Never Tshabang, had asked the minister if he was aware that children with special needs who had been assessed and referred to Timbi Primary School in Tutume had not been assisted in any manner.

He also asked whether the Tutume Sub-district Council provided transport for children with special needs to and from school, and if not, how he intended to intervene. Ends