The St Vincent School For the Deaf in Rosebank has opened its very own coffee shop after a former pupil received his barista qualification from Ciro.
Rodney Mphela (21) from Alexandra, who lost his hearing when he was still a toddler, has been awarded a number of certificates for completing courses offered by the Ciro Coffee Academy. He will work at the schools’ newly-opened C3 Coffee Shop which will also sell arts and crafts designed and made by pupils.
Through an interpreter, Mphela said he wanted to see the coffee shop grow and many supporting the school by buying his mean cup of coffee. “My speciality is a cappuccino and I can do heart and flower decorations for customers,” said an excited Mphela.
The school has a long-standing partnership with Ciro. Each year, the beverage company trains pupils to become baristas, and many who have completed the training work in coffee shops around Johannesburg.
Ingrid Parkin, the school principal and former pupil of the school, said the school’s goal is to secure employment for their pupils. To assist the Grade 12 pupils, the school finds places at universities or sometimes places them in suitable learnerships.
“We also try and get bursaries for the children, however, those are limited to certain courses and some of our pupils can’t do those,” Parkin said.
Parkin, who went deaf in a car accident when she was seven, said the school takes children as young as 18 months old in the preschool, and each grade in primary and high school only has two classes comprising 10 pupils.
“We have the same curriculum as mainstream schools all the way up to Grade 12,” said Parkin.
“But not everyone is academic, some children are more artistic or more skills inclined so we do have a training centre where we offer vocational skills.”
The school of 116 staff is not only for the deaf, but the principal said they have a number of children who are deaf and have other disabilities as well such as autism and some have a mild mental handicap. She said some of these children will never be independent, therefore, the school runs a special programme for them.
“The school is very big on technology because you don’t have to hear to use a computer. We have iPads, tablets and Smartboards, all from donors and sponsors. We start teaching the one-year-olds at nursery school to use these,” said Parkin.
Skills courses offered are photography, hospitality, baking, woodwork and metal work. Those who are capable are also taught business studies and computers.
“To keep all services going, it costs the school R8 million annually, but we only get R3.4 million from the government. The rest is up to the school to raise,” said Parkin.
The principal says the burden is on the school to ensure that each child reaches their full potential and that the school will appreciate any form of support from the public for a better quality education for their pupils.
Details: St Vincent School For The Deaf 011 447 7100.
