Diligence is her solution

The Department of Education in Mpumalanga is proud of the commitment of 31-year-old Athalia Modjadji Mashile, who defied all odds and completed her matric exams this year.
Mashile has been living with a disability since childhood.

She started her primary school education in 2009 at the age of 18. She was discovered by Free Wheelchair Mission members while they were out on community outreach in the villages.
One of her relatives told the NGO about Mashile’s condition, hence her late enrolment in school.

Read: Matric exams progressing well

Two teachers played a huge role in Mashile’s life by taking care of her and her needs during her school career. This included her bathroom needs, feeding and other women’s issues.
Through the Wheelchair Mission group that discovered her and gave her a wheelchair, Mashile also went to California in the US in 2010 with her teacher,
Ms Mokgope.

She was presented with a learning support audio-recording computer with a printer that eased her difficulty with writing. The device was stolen during a burglary at Tladishi Secondary School in 2017, while she was doing grade 10.

Mpumalanga News learned that Mashile was always given time extensions during the assessment periods.

During her matric exams, she was officially given an exam concession that extended of the writing time by 30 minutes per hour with a 15-minute rest interval. This was done because she refused to be given a scribe.

Also read: Matrics wrap up “successful” final exams

Her subjects included Sepedi HL, English FAL, life orientation, tourism, agricultural sciences, consumer studies, religion studies and mathematical literacy.
Bonakele Majuba, the MEC of education, said the department was very proud of Mashile and all role players, including classmates and family, for giving her all the support she needed throughout this year to make her dream of completing matric a reality.

“We are proud of her and can only hope that she makes the mark when the results are announced on January 8, 2020,” said Majuba.

He said learners with disabilities, including those with albinism, who pass grade 12 automatically qualify for the provincial Ephraim Mogale Bursary offered by the Mpumalanga Government.
The province has 18 special schools that cater for learners with severe disabilities who require moderate to high levels of care and support. The province also has 140 full service schools that accommodate learners with mild disabilities who require moderate care and support.

“The view of the department is that we must provide the requisite support to children with disabilities to ensure the attainment of their constitutional right to access quality education. We also need to fast-track this to ensure that government meets its equity targets of two per cent. We request our communities and parents, in particular, to send children with disabilities to school,” he concluded.