Pretoria – Government has made progress in addressing matters affecting people with disabilities, says President Jacob Zuma.
Speaking at the opening of the National Disability Rights Summit, currently underway in Pretoria, the President said government has focussed on access to basic education for children with disabilities.
“The Department of Basic Education continues to work hard to reach children who are still excluded from education, in line with South Africa’s obligations in terms of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
“The percentage of five year old children with disabilities attending educational institutions is at 83%, while the percentage of 7 to 15 year old children with disabilities attending educational institutions is at 93%,” President Zuma said, highlighting some of the progress made.
The Basic Education Department reported that a system for early identification and intervention has been strengthened through key policy documents and strategies such as the policy on screening, identification, assessment and support; the guidelines for curriculum differentiation and the policy framework for the realisation of the rights of children with profound intellectual disability.
The department has also committed to ensuring that a continuum of support services will be available for all children who experience barriers to learning, including those with disabilities.
“Our goal as government is to ensure that by 2021, no children with disabilities will be out of school. They should all be able to attend their local neighbouring schools and receive the necessary support,” said President Zuma.
At a higher education level, the Ministry of Higher Education and Training, working in collaboration with the disability sector, continues to promote access to post-school education and training for young persons with disabilities.
“More than 6 850 students with disabilities have been enrolled at higher education institutions. We are also pleased that over 2 800 have been enrolled at Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Colleges in 2014,” the President said.
Government has directed the Department of Transport to ensure that public transport systems are universally designed to provide access and safety for all commuters.
The President said this is critical in ensuring independence and mobility for persons with disabilities.
While acknowledging that social grants do not meet all the needs of current recipients, President Zuma said they go a long way in contributing towards household income equity for persons with disabilities and their families.
“The work currently being done on the economics and cost of disability, will contribute to reforms in this regard,” he said.
President Zuma encouraged provincial governments to continue to strengthen access to disability specific services, assistive devices and technology.
“More work must also be done to promote access to alternative communication services, including Braille. Cabinet has directed that the establishment of a government braille printing works be accelerated.”
The three-day National Disability Rights Summit is aimed at taking stock of the progress made in promoting the rights of people with disabilities and also to look at what else still needs to be done.
The President noted that while government has made steady progress in employment equity performance for persons with disabilities over the past 15 years, the process has been too slow.
“Within government, we have impressed upon departments to work harder towards the target of two percent in their staff complements. The promotion of rights of people with disabilities must be achieved in the private sector as well, it is not only government departments and entities that must comply,” the President said. – SAnews.gov.za
