The zeal to ensure learners across the grades, irrespective of their disabilities; perform well in their studies has prompted the Eastern Cape Department of Education to upscaled its capacity building pace in three (3) of its Special Schools for the Blind, as such, educators from these schools have converged in Empekweni Resort outside Port Alfred for a capacity building workshop.

The five days workshop started on Monday, 10th July, 2017, this week but will end tomorrow at 16:00.

These three schools start from Grade R-Grade 12 and are Efata school for the Blind in Mthatha, Khanyisa Special School for the Blind in PE and Zamokuhle Special School for the Blind in Mbizana and they cater for learners who are Blind and/or partially sighted.

Additionally, in order for these learners to access the curriculum, they require a specialised mode of instruction utilising Braille. This Braille is a writing system using touch, and is used by people who are blind.

According to the Director: Inclusive Education, ‘the migration to this technological advanced Braille will allow users to read computer screens, instead of the traditional embossed paper’.

“The department has also partnered with the department of Health to equip these schools with Assistive devices that convert linguistic text to Braille. Therefore educators for these schools ( Blind learners using Braille) require specialised training which is on offer from the department”, said Msindwana

In the last (2016/17) financial year, the department trained 52 Educators, but for this financial year, the first cohort of 30 educators who have progressed to Level 2 are currently being trained. The next intake will start at the end of July this year with 50 educators targeted for training.

“Mentorship and support will be continuously provided to ensure that educators are competent in utilising Braille and the instruction of learners. The department has identified September for another capacity building session on utilising Braille for content education in Mathematics”, concluded Msindwana.