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Big Tree School appeals for help

17 Feb, 2017 - 00:02 0 Views

The ManicaPost

Freedom Mutanda
BIG Tree Primary School which has a Special Needs Resource Unit is appealing for assistance to help its pupils who are living with disabilities.

In an all stakeholders’ indaba where the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Education was in attendance, the acting head, Mr Roderick Nera, said: “We applaud the work done by COPAZ, World Vision, UCCZ and parents in making the project remain afloat. However, we still face a number of challenges some of which are limited place for boarding facilities, sanitary ware for girls, teaching/learning resources and the teacher/pupil ratio which we believe to be very high.’’

Cde Never Kanye, the Matobo North legislator and chairperson of the committee, said he was fighting for an inclusive education which would benefit the country in the long term.

“We are here to help. We want to hear parents, teachers and pupils’ views. Therefore, feel free to air out your views,’’ he urged participants.

Community Organisation for Poverty Alleviation (COPAZ) programmes manager, Mr Gondai Chikangaise, said his organisation partnered Big Tree School for some time and it was high time they get more help from other well-wishers.

Big Tree pupils are benefitting from COPAZ and this includes those who are from the mainstream. We pay fees for nine out of the 25 pupils who are under the Special Needs Resource Unit,’’ he said.

Mrs Khosa, one of the special teachers alongside Mr Blessing Jenya, expressed concern on how the new curriculum will affect children living with disabilities in light of resource constraints.

“Mentally challenged and hearing impaired children are sleeping in the same room and that doesn’t augur well for the safety of the pupils. We need more furniture.

“We don’t have specially built dormitories and the problem is compounded by inadequate bathrooms. We need the latest sign language dictionaries. Having said that, we appeal to well-wishers to make the pupils’ dreams come true,’’ she said.

Another burning issue is on pupils who want to attend secondary education. In Manicaland, there is Munyoro Secondary School which is the only one that caters for special needs education at that level.

As a result, some pupils are unable to continue with education up to the level they want.

Cde Oliver Mandipaka, a member of the committee asked teachers if they had burning issues with the new curriculum.

He said what the new curriculum needs was extensive consultations and the portfolio committee was doing just that.

Mr Jenya said: ‘’The new curriculum is a noble idea. However, there are no textbooks and some teachers are not ICT friendly.’’

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