The South African National Association for Special Education (SANASE) has warned that special needs schools in KwaZulu-Natal may not reopen next year due to unresolved issues around funding, staffing, and infrastructure.
During a recent meeting, SANASE highlighted the worsening conditions in the province’s special schools, saying promised government interventions have not materialised.
Deputy Chairperson Khetha Khumalo said officials from the Premier’s office and the provincial Education Department had pledged to respond to the association’s service delivery concerns but have yet to follow through.
“The Office of the Premier and the MEC in Education promised to come back to us with service delivery solutions, but that never happened. For now, we are still in the dark, facing ongoing challenges in our special schools. As a result, we have decided that our schools may not operate in January next year,” Khumalo said.
SANASE’s warning underscores the urgent need for provincial authorities to address systemic issues affecting the operation and sustainability of special needs education in KwaZulu-Natal.