DURBAN - THE KwaZulu-Natal provincial government opened the state-of-the-art Pholela Special School in Bulwer under the Harry Gwala District yesterday.
The facility, which was opened by KZN Premier Sihle Zikalala and MEC for Education Kwazi Mshengu, has an enrolment of 350 pupils.
According to the provincial government, the school has many amenities essential for pupils with special needs, including hostels for them and residences for educators. It also has two consulting dispensaries and a sickbay.
Speaking at the opening, Zikalala said more than R220 million was spent building the facility.
He said with this school, they wanted to ensure they restored dignity among rural communities.
“It is known that our history is characterised by a lot of challenges, especially where African disabled learners were not catered for during apartheid.”
He said the province wanted to ensure that in each district in the province, similar schools that cater for pupils with special needs are built.
He added that a similar school was being constructed in King Cetshwayo District Municipality and existing schools would also be renovated.
The school opening comes a few months after Mshengu and the Deputy Minister for Basic Education, Dr Reginah Mhaule, handed over 15 buses for pupils with special needs education in KZN. Mshengu said the school was part of a programme they started to reassert the right to education for pupils with special needs.
THE MERCURY