(1)(a)(b)
Yes, provinces do have a database and/statistics on the number of learners with disabilities. The Department of Basic Education (DBE) together with Provincial Education Departments (PEDs) conduct three surveys that collects information on learners with disabilities annually, which are: Snap Survey and Annual Survey for Special schools (collect learner enrolment in special schools), and Annual Survey for ordinary schools (collects information on disabled learners in mainstream and full service). Each PED provide their individual databases to DBE, which, in turn, establishes a national database.
(2)(a)
The last survey on schools for learners with Special Needs was conducted on the 01 September 2016, which was the Annual Survey for Special schools.
(2)(b)(c)
Table 1 below indicates the number of special schools surveyed in 2016. It shows that there were 462 special schools in 2016 with 119 403 learners.
Table 1: Number of special schools and learners, by province, in 2016
Province |
(b) Number of Special Schools |
(c) Number of learners in Special schools |
EC |
43 |
9 463 |
FS |
21 |
5 984 |
GP |
149 |
47 769 |
KZ |
65 |
14 986 |
LP |
35 |
8 630 |
MP |
20 |
3 778 |
NC |
11 |
1 494 |
NW |
32 |
7 395 |
WC |
86 |
19 904 |
National |
462 |
119 403 |
Source: 2016 SNE SNAP Survey
(3)(a)(b)
The Department has forwarded the question to the Provincial Education Department and is awaiting the response. The response will be forwarded as soon as the Department receives it.
(4)
Table 2: Number of special schools converted into resource centres by province, in 2017/18 financial year
Prov. |
No. SSRCs |
EC |
19 |
FS |
5 |
GT |
17 |
KZN |
16 |
LP |
5 |
MP |
8 |
NC |
5 |
NW |
8 |
WC |
25 |
Total |
108 |
Source: PED’s submission
(5) (a) The information on the number of learners at each school for learners with special educational needs who have been erroneously placed in each financial year is not readily available in Provincial Education Departments (PEDs), given that the implementation to scale of the Policy on Screening, Identification, Assessment and Support (SIAS) at school level was preceded by training mainly during 2016/17 and effective implementation has only started in 2017.
(b) Measures in this regard will be put in place from 2018 onwards.