Disability units help special needs students

Each year when matric results are released, pupils with disabilities make a decent number of top achievers in the country. According to the department of basic education, 3,321 (51.3%) pupils with special needs attained admission to bachelor studies in 2024 compared to 2,491 (47.1%) in 2023.

Sowetan finds out whether institutions of higher learning are inclusive enough to be able to accommodate students with special needs.  The chairperson of the higher education disability services association (Hedsa), Dr Nosiphiwo Delubom, explains. 

Sowetan: Are higher learning institutions able to cater for special needs students?

Delubom: I cannot say universities do not cater for students with disabilities. However, I am aware that there are universities that still mention that they are not ready to admit students with disabilities/special needs.

Sowetan: How far have universities transformed in making sure that they are inclusive?

Delubom: The transformation of universities is a work in progress. They are trying their best to include disability, however, there is still a lot of resistance in some universities. It is imperative to consider many aspects when we refer to disability inclusion. We don’t only focus on the administration of extra-time, but the issues of universal design for learning, built infrastructure, living and learning inclusive programmes.

I always argue that as long as there are faculties who are still not inclusive for students with disabilities, the existence of disability units is needed. Officials working in these units ensure that mainstreaming cut across to include all students.

Sowetan: What are some of the things that would ensure that institutions of higher learning are equipped to cater for special needs students?

Delubom: Institutions of higher learning need to give priority on disability inclusion by establishing disability units. When they establish these units, they must ensure that there are personnel in them. This will assist in driving advocacy, monitoring compliance of universal access, training and development of the university community.

Sowetan: Are there good stories to tell in terms of institutions catering for the needs of special needs students?

Delubom: Yes, there are beautiful stories to tell. There are a lot of students with different categories of disabilities who qualified in different institutions of higher learning in South Africa. To mention a few, Stellenbosch, Wits, UFS, UCT have since admitted students who are totally deaf, and have now qualified.

UKZN, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University and University of Pretoria have students who were totally blind, and they qualified with their post-graduate qualifications. With the existence of disability units, students with disabilities are able to be integrated into the institutions of higher learning and receive support for them to be at par with their peers.

Sowetan: What happens to those that can't go to universities because their disabilities are not catered for by a higher learning institution?

Delubom: Those students are the missing link, which is very sad. Few are enrolled by the TVET Colleges since many institutions still struggle to cater for students with disabilities.

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