Miss-Delectable
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IOL: Deaf pupils are finally heard
A Port Elizabeth school has won a legal battle against the provincial education department to provide funding for 67 partially deaf pupils, the Herald online reported on Friday.
The Bhisho High Court has ordered the department to reverse a decision to prune funds amounting to almost R170 000 allocated for the 2005/06 year to Greenwood Primary School's partially deaf unit.
In February the department had insisted pupils at the school‘s partially deaf unit be transferred to the Reuben Birin Special School.
Port Elizabeth education director Sam Snayer said at the time that Reuben Birin was a school for all children with hearing problems, not just those who were totally deaf, so there was no need to fear that pupils who went there would be underdeveloped.
He said the department‘s decision to close the Greenwood unit had been made to eliminate duplication of services and to cut down on expenditure because the number of pupils who needed special care in Greenwood did not justify the existence of its special unit.
Snayer declined to comment on Thursday, saying he was not aware of the court ruling earlier this month.
However, Greenwood Primary School governing body chairperson Mike Randell said the education department would now have to allocate R168 000 to the school.
"There is a concerted effort on the part of the department to pressurise the school in a number of ways," Randell said. - Sapa
A Port Elizabeth school has won a legal battle against the provincial education department to provide funding for 67 partially deaf pupils, the Herald online reported on Friday.
The Bhisho High Court has ordered the department to reverse a decision to prune funds amounting to almost R170 000 allocated for the 2005/06 year to Greenwood Primary School's partially deaf unit.
In February the department had insisted pupils at the school‘s partially deaf unit be transferred to the Reuben Birin Special School.
Port Elizabeth education director Sam Snayer said at the time that Reuben Birin was a school for all children with hearing problems, not just those who were totally deaf, so there was no need to fear that pupils who went there would be underdeveloped.
He said the department‘s decision to close the Greenwood unit had been made to eliminate duplication of services and to cut down on expenditure because the number of pupils who needed special care in Greenwood did not justify the existence of its special unit.
Snayer declined to comment on Thursday, saying he was not aware of the court ruling earlier this month.
However, Greenwood Primary School governing body chairperson Mike Randell said the education department would now have to allocate R168 000 to the school.
"There is a concerted effort on the part of the department to pressurise the school in a number of ways," Randell said. - Sapa