Teachers dumb to deaf kids

About 80% of teachers at schools for children with special needs do not have even the basic essential skills, such as knowledge of sign language or Braille.

Moses Simelane, director of inclusive education at the Department of Basic Education, said it had found that most teachers charged with teaching deaf or blind pupils did not have the "relevant specialist skills".

"For instance, in schools for the deaf, the majority of teachers were not trained in sign language, which is crucial because it's the language of teaching and learning. It's like a home language for pupils who are deaf," he said.

The problem was worst in rural provinces, such as Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and Mpumalanga, Simelane said while briefing parliament's public service portfolio committee on access to schools for disabled children.

Simelane said the department was training teachers at special schools.

Other problems faced by disabled pupils included inadequate access to requirements such as wheelchairs and hearing aids, he said.

Helping disabled pupils required the collaboration of professionals such as psychologists, therapists, social workers and doctors, whose services were administered by other departments, Simelane told the committee.