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Educating special needs children on their own merits

Founded more than 40 years ago, Stanger Training Centre has grown to include 237 pupils aged between 5 to 19, 38 of whom are diagnosed with ASD.

If it takes a village to raise a child, then it takes a nation to raise a child with special needs.

As the only government-funded special needs school in KwaDukuza, Stanger Training Centre (STC) understands this maxim first-hand.

The school accepts pupils with a variety of special education needs, including those with Cerebral Palsy, Downs Syndrome and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Founded more than 40 years ago, STC has grown to include 237 pupils aged between 5 to 19, 38 of whom are diagnosed with ASD.

“As the saying goes, if you have met one autistic child then you have met one autistic child. Each child is different and needs to be treated as such,” said STC principal, Dr K K Gokar.

The school has developed a separate autism unit as a result where pupils can be educated in an environment that suits them, with no outside interference.

One of the communication devices used by autistic children. Many find difficulty with speech and prefer to communicate in other ways.

“We generally find autistic children prefer their own company. Therefore, an important part of the programme while they are in the autism unit is to try and make them comfortable when they socialise with other children,” Gokar said.

While in the classroom the focus is on improving the learning abilities of each child, which can vary greatly given the wide spectrum that autism encompasses.

Many have exceptional abilities in visual, music and academic skills, while others find most standard education challenging.

At STC, 15 of the 38 children with ASD are full-time pupils in the autism unit, while the remainder are able to join larger classes that include children with other special needs in a modified Caps curriculum.

“Those who remain in the unit have specific lessons that meet their sensory needs, developing communication skills through pictures, speech and Makaton – a type of sign language for special needs learners.”

One of the desks in the autism unit, where children have a number of devices and sensory inputs available, designed to aid their development.

There is a full-time speech therapist and occupational therapist on hand to ensure that developmental targets are met, while providing suitable alternative and augmentative communication systems.

Pupils are able to stay at the school until the age of 19, with no typical grade system in place.

“Our main aim is to produce young men and women who can become functional members of society. We offer many vocational classes to facilitate this.”

Under supervision, pupils are able to learn trades as varied as woodworking, welding, sewing, gardening and cooking which could all lead to future employment.

A toy truck made by a student in the Stanger Training Centre woodworking class.

Where possible, pupils are also encouraged to join the staff at the school in positions that suit their capabilities.

“We try to impress upon prospective parents and the general public that children with special needs are still able to do a great many things in the right circumstances. We do occasionally see parents who are unwilling to admit that their child has special needs, but this is only going to hamper their development.”

Although STC has intake from Umhlali to Mandeni, the school only has one bus, which means around 75% of the pupils do not come in every day.

This follows an incident of arson last year in which another of the school’s buses were destroyed.

If you are able to help with school transport or would like to enroll your child, phone the school at 032 552 5498 or 067 193 9589.


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