THE parents of children who attend Amanzimtoti’s Durban School for the Hearing Impaired are continuing with the strike that has seen the school closed and classes suspended since the new term started.

Also read: New doors open for Durban School for the Hearing Impaired

This comes despite the KZN Department of Education (KZNDOE) paying the school’s subsidy this week, which had been delayed for months. The school governing body (SGB) said the gates will remain locked until the KZN Department of Education (KZNDOE) responds positively to its other grievances.

Located on Khotho Mkhunya Road, opposite the Amanzimtoti police station, the school caters to learners with special needs, including those with hearing impairments and various learning disabilities. Most of its learners come from the surrounding townships and rural areas.

The SGB chairperson, Nokuthula Makhanya-Sibiya, said grievances include funding that the school has failed to receive on time, learner transport, and the failure by the department to provide therapists, social workers, and teachers’ aides.

“Although funding to the school was released this week, it came too late because there is already a massive debt. Without proper funding, this school can’t be run properly because there are bills that need to be paid. Another problem is the buses that transport the learners. They are old and are always out for repairs for up to six months at a time, during which the learners cannot come to school. We feel like the government pays little attention to special needs schools and all resources are channelled to mainstream schools,” said Makhanya-Sibiya.

She added that therapists and social workers were a crucial need for the school to help the children with their development. The department has remained mum on the extra staff. Asked about the effect the strike will have on the learners as the final examinations approach, Makhanya-Sibiya said an arrangement has been agreed upon with the teachers.

At the end of September, the KZN government admitted that KZNDOE is in a dire financial situation and needs a R3.4b cash injection to get it back on its feet. KZNDOE spokesperson Muzi Mahlambi apologised on behalf of the department, saying the funding delays were regrettable. He said the delay was due to technical glitches that affected the processing timeline.

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