Education

There are a total of 47 schools for the Deaf in South Africa. Most Provinces have one or more schools for the Deaf, with a bigger concentration in the larger provinces.

DeafSA conducted a National march in all 9 provinces simultaneously in February 2003 whereby the following was demanded from government

• That South African Sign Language (SASL) be recognised and implemented as an official language subject in the education of Deaf learners in General Education and Training (GET) and Further Education and Training (FET)
• That SASL be fully implemented as the official medium of instruction for Deaf learners in all special schools for the Deaf
• That all educators of the Deaf receive compulsory in-service training in SASL
• That SASL teaching and learning materials be developed

DeafSA is still lobbying for the implementation of the South African Schools Act, Education White Paper 6 and the Revised National Curriculum Statement. Deaf learners still experience barriers to equal and accessible education, although the SA Schools Act acknowledges SASL as an official language for purposes of instruction in public schools. DeafSA’s Education Task Team is in the process of executing a plan of action to ensure implementation within the next year. DeafSA completed its position paper on Deaf Education and had a meeting with the Honorable Minister Naledi Pandor , whereby the Department is currently working with DeafSA on an implementation plan.