130 KZN special needs learners stuck at home after DoE fails to address dire school staff shortage
22 January 2020
More than 130 Special Education Needs (LSEN) learners from Harding Special School remain stuck at home after the school hostel could not open last week for the academic year due to an ongoing KZN Department of Education (DoE) moratorium on the hiring of staff.
The school has a total of 160 LSEN learners, all of whom have severe physical and intellectual difficulties. Currently, there are only 30 day scholars in attendance due to the staffing crisis.
The shocking situation came to light during last week’s KZN Legislature school functionality visits, after it was raised with the DA by a whistle blower.
The DA has since established that there are currently 12 vacancies, mostly as a result of retirement, including two house mothers, assistants, a cook, cleaning staff and garden staff. The figure is set to increase by two more at the end of February with another housemother and the school nurse retiring.