The closure of Sinakho, Grahamstown’s only special needs day-care centre, has left scores of local children without an educational environment, and their parents with painfully difficult choices.
The closure of Sinakho, Grahamstown’s only special needs day-care centre, has left scores of local children without an educational environment, and their parents with painfully difficult choices.
Sinakho, which catered for children aged seven and below, was funded by local businessman Rob Beer of Beer Properties and was housed in Andrew Moyake Primary School in Fingo until November last year, when Beer pulled funding. Beer confirmed removing his financial support.
“There was mismanagement and funds were misallocated," Beer told Grocott's Mail, "There were also problems with the staff and under those circumstances I was not prepared to continue funding it [Sinakho].” The businessman was reluctant to comment further.
The school closed its doors last year November. Sinakho's Principal Millicent Manana commented briefly.
“The day care centre doesn’t have funding at the moment. It’s just a normal day care, just like any other school,” she said. The vibrant pink and purple walls contrasted sharply with the bleak emptiness of the school building when Grocott’s Mail visited it this week.
An educator at Andrew Moyake said the centre benefited from being at the school as this allowed the older children to play with the younger ones. One former Sinakho staff member claimed that at times there was no food for the children.
“The months went on and there was no food for the children,” said Nomalungisa Maloni, a former Sinakho teacher.
“We [teachers]had to take food for the children. The parents called us and asked why their children go home hungry from school.”
The mother of a former Sinakho learner was bitter about the closure of the school, saying that many parents did not have a place to send their special needs children and would have to send their children out of town.
Meanwhile, on 6 August, Maloni opened Sibanye, a new special needs day care centre in Joza. Sibanye is currently being funded through fees paid by parents, as Maloni continues to look for funding.
“We want this to work," she said.
