THE strike at Amanzimtoti’s Durban School for the Hearing Impaired has ended and classes resumed on November 3.

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

The school’s gates had remained locked since the start of the fourth term on October 13, after the South African National Association of Special Education (SANASE) instructed 76 special needs institutions across the province to suspend operations due to delayed payments by the KZN Department of Education (KZNDOE) and a myriad of other issues. The SGB chairperson, Nokuthula Makhanya-Sibiya, stated that some of the grievances included funding that the school had failed to receive on time, learner transport, and the department’s failure to provide therapists, social workers, and teachers’ aides. Of the school’s three buses, only one is operational.

After the department finally released the funds on October 23, SANASE instructed the schools to continue with the strike as the department had not addressed the other grievances.

Makhanya-Sibiya said SANASE leaders attended a meeting with the premier of KZN, Thami Ntuli, MEC for KZNDOE, Sipho Mshengu, and other departmental representatives.

“After thorough engagements, the premier requested that all learners go back to class, and it was agreed. After he was informed that special schools are not given a priority as they should, he instructed the relevant departments to gather information which is to be presented in a follow-up meeting. We wait patiently to hear from the premier as he promised,” she said.

She thanked the provincial National Association of School Governing Bodies’ chairperson, Lungani Makhathi, and the association’s secretary, Slindile Mbambo, for their ongoing support on the matter.

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