Deaf pupils protest at KwaThintwa School against physical, sexual, verbal, and emotional abuse. Picture: Tiktok
Some of the Deaf
pupils who protested against injustices at a special boarding school in KwaZulu-Natal
are deeply disturbed after being made to write three exams in a single day,
which they allege was a form of punishment. Most deaf pupils are considered to
have severe or mild intellectual disabilities and are granted concessions by
the Department of Education.
Timetable Showed Back-to-Back Exams With Little to No Breaks
Prior to the
exams, on 13 November, pupils from KwaThintwa School for the Deaf sent Diary
Series of Deaf People their timetable showing Grade 11 exams were scheduled
from 24 to 28 November and Grade 10 from 24 to 27 November. The timetable
indicated they would have between 30 and 45 minutes’ breaks between exams, but
on 27 November they were expected to write Mathematics Literacy Paper One from
8:30am to 11:30am and Hospitality from 11:30am to 13:30 without breaks. Some
pupils were commuting from home, having been removed from school after the 31
October protest, and Mathematics Literacy exam was scheduled for 7:30am.
Pupils pleaded
with Diary Series of Deaf People to request that the Department of
Education and other authorities intervene, saying no one believes them when
they allege physical, sexual, verbal, and emotional abuse. In their
frustration, they would text around 4am, crying that their timetable was unfairly
structured. Their exam timetable showed they were scheduled to write two exams
in a day, but some pupils accused of leading the protest were allegedly made to
write three exams in one day. It is unclear how many wrote three exams in a
day.
READ: City of Tshwane Slammed for Cutting Electricity to Special Needs School Ahead of Matric Exams
Education Department Promises Investigation
The Sunday Times reported this month how pupils at the
boarding school had protested about ongoing incidents of sexual and physical
abuse, allegedly at the hands of hostel staff and teachers. The protest
prompted an investigation by the South African Human Rights Commission and the
KwaZulu-Natal department of education.
KZN Education
Department spokesperson Muzi Mahlambi said:
“Our investigation of the allegations will go deeper into all the issues that have been raised. The district director indicates that this was a meeting initiated by the department. The meeting that took place was to kick start [investigations].”
The department
held a meeting with the principal on Monday. The children confirmed that their
exams on Monday were manageable, but after the department left, some were made
to write three exams in one day.
A pupil said:
“Tomorrow [Wednesday] we will write three exams in different subjects... this is the first time I have seen this school write three exams. Mathematics Lit Paper One: 8:30am to 10:45am. Hospitality: 11:30am to 14:00. Dramatic Arts: 14:15."
Original Exam Timetable Shows Heavy Load Across Grades
The initial timetable, which Diary Series of Deaf People
forwarded to the KZN Department of Education on 20 November, showed the first
exams for Grade 11 pupils on 24 November, with Sign Language Paper One from
8:30am to 10:30am and Sign Language Paper Two from 11:30am to 13:30. Sign
Language Paper Three and English Paper One were scheduled for the same times as
the previous day. On 26 November, Visual Arts ran from 8:30am to 10:30am, and
Life Orientation from 11:30am to 13:30. On 27 November, Math Literacy Paper One
was scheduled from 8:30am to 11:30am, followed immediately by Hospitality from
11:30am to 13:30, without breaks. On 28 November, Math Literacy was scheduled
from 7:30am to 10:30am, and Dramatic Arts from 11:00am to 14:00.
However, the time-table allegedly changed and pupils said they were made to write three exams in one day.
Grade 10 pupils’
exams showed to have started on 24 November and ended on 27 November, appearing to include
seven papers. On 24 November, it appears they were scheduled to write one exam.
READ:
Parents Question School’s Conduct and Lack of Transparency
Pupils said they have lost confidence in the Department of Education. “They are not communicating with us, but they are communicating with the principal, and they do not want to listen to our side of the story,” one pupil said.
A mother of one pupil said, “My child has
been expelled at school. They said they don’t want him next year and gave his
grandmother a list of schools to apply to. Where will he go next year? My child
is in Grade 11 and will be going to Grade 12. I don’t think my child will pass
because they were made to write three exams in a day.”
The pupil’s family told Diary Series of Deaf People that the
school listed several alleged offences, including allegedly leading the protest. The
parent said the hearing was held on Thursday, on the same day the child was
writing an exam, and he was dismissed.
“The principal wanted my child to leave immediately after the exam. I don’t
know what made her change her mind and allow the child to write tomorrow
[Friday]. We do not know how many have been dismissed. During the parents’
meeting, parents had asked the principal to allow the children to be part of the
meeting and to explain why they protested. We were told a meeting would be held
at a later stage with the children. I went to the bathroom on the day, and the
kids were sitting outside and guarded by the police and the security guards,”
said a parent.
Another parent
said, “This is wrong. When I went to fetch my child from school this week, one of the guards asked me whether I was informed that my
son arrived late on 24 November, after other children had completed writing and
were leaving. But no teacher or principal phoned me to say that my child arrived
late at school for the exam. My child told me that he and other children were
then made to write three exams in one day. Even if they say you are too
brilliant, you can never write three exams in one day. These children, their
mind is not like that of a person without disability. This is very wrong. But my son was not
expelled.”
“Why didn’t the principal allow the children to come inside the meeting when all parents were there at the school to tell their side of the story? Even today, we don’t know what the children have done; we only know the version of the principal and the teachers.”
Learners Report Exams They Could Not Finish
A pupil from the
school said, “Some in Grade 10 and Grade 11 didn’t finish the exam. The school
didn’t care. They say the school must close now, so it’s your problem if you
all came late to school.”
READ: No indoor toilet for boarding learners with disabilities
Educational Psychologist Condemns Exam Load as "Criminal and Inhumane"
Professor Kobus
Maree from the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of
Pretoria said two exams in a day is already a lot for deaf pupils. “This is
prehistoric. It should never, ever have been allowed in a postmodern country.
And those implicated should feel the strong arm of the law, the effect of the
law as soon as possible. We should start immediately dispensing information
therapy, psychotherapy, psychosocial, psychoeducational intervention in the
case of these kids. Let’s not wait for two years. Let’s do it straight away.
Cancel those exams, find something else in its place. You cannot regard those
exams as valid, reliable, trustworthy. That’s it. So, the entire exam, in my
opinion, has failed. They should come up with a workable, defensible strategy
to deal with these learners.”
Maree added:
“In all the years that I’ve been commenting on these things, this is probably the one that I find most disgusting. It’s the first time I’ve heard of this kind of thing. Especially when we are dealing with the most vulnerable of the vulnerable: MID, learning disabled. What in the name of the Lord more do they want to happen to these kids? They become emotional wrecks; people start emotionally, psychiatrically, for the rest of their days. That’s nonsense. That is mean and inhumane. They are at a major, major disadvantage already. And on top of that, they get disadvantaged for being disadvantaged, for being vulnerable. No, no, no, no. I’d rather not be part of such a society. This is immoral. This is unethical. This is everything sick and nasty.”
Learners Describe Emotional Toll and Fears of Failing
On
13 November, a pupil said, “Everything has been written in the newspaper. No
action has been taken. We have been waiting for the Department of Education to
call us for a meeting, but nothing has happened. Everyone is going to fail the exam...”
All pupils interviewed stated that the school is a boarding
school, but after the march, they were instructed to commute from home. “We all
live far from the school. For some, it can take two to three hours to get
there,” they said.
The pupil added,
“I don’t accept this timetable. This is abuse and not the same as past
timetables. We are not happy. It is
difficult. We are usually given 3–4 hours, but now every subject has 2 hours.
Sign Language is the most difficult subject. We need more time. The school is
under government, but they are doing nothing. We are suffering and need help.
The principal wants us to travel between school and home during those exams;
some of us live far. She wants us to fail so she can say to the department that
we were busy protesting, not studying. Can you please assist us so the
timetable can be changed?”
Another pupil said:
“Two hours is not enough. They are putting us under pressure. The HOD doesn’t care if we write slowly or don’t finish. She takes the papers, and she doesn’t care if we fail. Sign Language should have four hours. But they want us to write fast so we can return home. They are punishing us for protesting, but we were protesting because of unfair treatment and injustice… please help us, please.”
Another pupil
said, “KwaThintwa School wants to take revenge on us. They want us to repeat
another grade.”
In a message sent to fellow pupils, one said:
“…It is difficult, guys. I want you to be strong because the worst is yet to come.”
A Grade 12 pupil said, “Most teachers and management are
bad. One of the teachers always oppresses us and abuses us. Sign Language is the most difficult subject
but when we asked to be given an opportunity to do revision at school one of
the teachers always says no. The teacher has destroyed the learners’ education
and blocked their inspiration with always saying ‘no.’”
“I was not
involved in the protest. I was aware that the learners were fed up because
their rights were being abused. We have had lots of issues for years. When we
report to the principal, she always ignores us. But when learners misbehave,
she is quick to get involved, yet when learners have huge issues, she doesn’t
have time. Learners are suffering,” a Grade 12 pupil said.
