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| South Africa's disabled children 'excluded from school' | South Africa's disabled children 'excluded from school' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| An estimated 500,000 disabled children are being excluded from South Africa's education system, US-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) says in a report. | An estimated 500,000 disabled children are being excluded from South Africa's education system, US-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) says in a report. |
| HRW says the government has discriminated against disabled children in its allocation of school places. | HRW says the government has discriminated against disabled children in its allocation of school places. |
| Children are excluded from mainstream schools and forced to wait years for places at special schools, it says. | Children are excluded from mainstream schools and forced to wait years for places at special schools, it says. |
| The government says it has achieved the UN target of enrolling all children in primary schools by 2015. | The government says it has achieved the UN target of enrolling all children in primary schools by 2015. |
| But campaigners say the government needs to admit that it is not providing quality education to all of its children. | But campaigners say the government needs to admit that it is not providing quality education to all of its children. |
| "The job is not done until all children count just the same in the education system," said Elin Martinez, a children's rights researcher and author of the report. | "The job is not done until all children count just the same in the education system," said Elin Martinez, a children's rights researcher and author of the report. |
| Human Rights Watch researchers also found that inadequate teacher training and understanding of children's disabilities means children with disabilities in classrooms are not properly treated in classrooms. | Human Rights Watch researchers also found that inadequate teacher training and understanding of children's disabilities means children with disabilities in classrooms are not properly treated in classrooms. |
| In some cases, children suffered physical violence and neglect in schools, they added. | In some cases, children suffered physical violence and neglect in schools, they added. |
| A mother of an eight-year-old boy with Down's syndrome told HRW that her child was denied admission because of his illness. | A mother of an eight-year-old boy with Down's syndrome told HRW that her child was denied admission because of his illness. |
| "We tried to put him in a [mainstream] school but they said they couldn't put him in that school… because of Down's syndrome he isn't like other children so they [said they] can't teach him," said Qinisela, who lives in Kwa-Ngwanase in KwaZulu-Natal province. | "We tried to put him in a [mainstream] school but they said they couldn't put him in that school… because of Down's syndrome he isn't like other children so they [said they] can't teach him," said Qinisela, who lives in Kwa-Ngwanase in KwaZulu-Natal province. |
| Parents of children with disabilities are often asked to pay fees that children without disabilities do not, HRW said. | Parents of children with disabilities are often asked to pay fees that children without disabilities do not, HRW said. |
| This prevents some children from having access to education at all because their parents cannot afford the fees. | This prevents some children from having access to education at all because their parents cannot afford the fees. |
| The 94-page report from the international pressure group found that many adolescents with disabilities lack basic life skills that should be taught in school and are facing difficulties in getting employment. | The 94-page report from the international pressure group found that many adolescents with disabilities lack basic life skills that should be taught in school and are facing difficulties in getting employment. |
| In 2007, South Africa was one of the first countries to ratify the UN Disability Rights Treaty, which requires the government to promote an inclusive education system. | In 2007, South Africa was one of the first countries to ratify the UN Disability Rights Treaty, which requires the government to promote an inclusive education system. |
| However, HRW said the government should adopt a new policy and legislation that would ensure equal learning opportunities for people with disability. |