Education
With regard to the financial affairs of the Mary Kihn School:
(1) Whether she and her Department will investigate reports that staff members received two pay cheques at the school; if not, why not; if so, (a) what are the relevant details and (b) what intervention is her Department going to put in place to address the matter;
(2) (a) what is the number of artisans who were employed as skills teachers who are now teaching academic subjects and (b) at what level are academic subjects being taught at this school?
[1] Yes. My Department has informed me of the following:
[a] There is a case of a staff member on long leave after maternity leave and the WCED paid her for a few months. However, the error was reported and rectified. The staff member had to pay back the money. It was subtracted from her monthly salary.
[b] The matter has been resolved.
[2] [a] 1 artisan has been employed in a teacher post and is teaching integration of language and mathematics and life skills.
SGB part-time artisans have been employed, according to the needs of the skills subjects for the hours required. e.g. welding, woodwork and mechanics.
Each teacher has a class allocated to them, with a specific skill or two and integration of language, maths and life skills is integrated into that skill, as the outcome is to prepare the student for job placement or entrepreneurship. Our students do not only do 1 skill subject, but 2 or 3. It gives more opportunity for job shadowing and job placement, hence the time allocation per skill is shared in the week.
[b] The DCAPS curriculum that Mary Kihn School follows for Deaf and SID students is on a level of Grade 4 and 5 over a 5-year skills programme from 14 years old to 18 years old. It is not an academic curriculum.
Many students have multiple disabilities and the school works on Individual Support Plans for each child with individualised programmes. The school used to be an academic school, but the academic stream was phased out over the past few years. The resources are transitioning. Charts and practical equipment are used according to each skill. Some students may be at a low level in language or mathematics e.g. Grade 1, but they are taught at their level on an individualised programme. The school leaver’s certificate will reflect that individual level.
