Parents Petition President Over Grade 8 Placement Crisis for Special Needs Learners
- Parents of special needs learners in the Eastern Cape have turned to President Cyril Ramaphosa in desperation after repeated school rejections left their children without Grade 8 placements
- Families say repeated rejections, long waiting lists and strict academic criteria have left vulnerable learners without access to education
- The petition calls for urgent government intervention, immediate placements and expanded skills-based schooling for children with special needs
Source: Getty Images
EASTERN CAPE- Parents and guardians of children with special needs in the Eastern Cape have appealed directly to President Cyril Ramaphosa for urgent intervention after dozens of learners were left without school placements for the 2026 academic year.
In a petition submitted to Briefly News, families of 23 learners who completed Grade 7 at Ebotwe Special School in NU 2, Mdantsane, say their children have not been placed in Grade 8 despite submitting multiple applications to various schools. With the new academic year fast approaching, several learners remain at home with no access to education.
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What does the petition call for?
According to the petition, many schools rejected the applications due to long waiting lists, while others declined on the basis that the learners struggled with reading and writing and did not meet academic requirements.
Describing the situation as deeply distressing, parents say it has caused “unbearable fear, pain and anxiety”.
They stress that children with special needs are especially vulnerable and rely on structure, care and consistent education to thrive.
“Leaving them without schooling threatens their development and strips them of dignity, hope and a sense of belonging,” the petition states.
Appealing directly to the President, the families urge the government to uphold the constitutional right to education.
“Mr President, our children deserve compassion, inclusion and equal access to education and skills that will allow them to live meaningful and productive lives,” the petition reads.
Parents are calling for the immediate placement of the affected learners into appropriate Grade 8 schools. They are also requesting the expansion of skills-based and vocational schools that offer practical learning opportunities such as building, cooking, sewing and other essential life skills tailored to learners with special needs.
In addition, the petition highlights the absence of clear pathways beyond Grade 12. Parents argue that many learners from special schools are effectively abandoned by the education system once they complete their schooling.
“Many cannot access colleges or universities, and private institutions are unaffordable for most families. Without proper planning and support, our children risk being excluded and forgotten by society," the petition notes
Disability groups raise broader concerns.
These concerns are echoed by disability rights organisations. The National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) says research indicates that between 500,000 and 600,000 children with disabilities are excluded from South Africa’s education system, with some studies suggesting that up to 70% are entirely outside formal education.
Although the Eastern Cape Department of Education announced an R11 million renovation project at a special school facility in December 2023, NCPD staff who visited the site in early 2025 reported deteriorating conditions, including learners still sleeping on cold brick beds and the absence of secure fencing. Advocacy groups warn that many mainstream schools continue to turn children with disabilities away, referring them to special schools where waiting lists stretch for years.
Briefly News has sent enquiries to the Eastern Cape Department of Education and the Eastern Cape Department of Social Development and will update once responses are received.
Source: Getty Images
3 Other Briefly News stories on challenges in schools
In related news, Briefly reported that the crisis extends beyond the Eastern Cape. In KwaZulu-Natal, the South African National Association for Special Education (SANASE) has warned that special needs schools may be forced to shut their doors due to chronic underfunding and mounting debt. Following a meeting at Khulangolwazi Special School in November, the organisation cited unfilled support staff vacancies, lack of learner transport, inadequate infrastructure and insufficient funding to meet operational needs.
In related news, Kgaugelo Stimulation Centre in Tembisa, which supports 35 vulnerable and orphaned children with disabilities, is on the brink of closure after failing to receive its operating certificate for over three months. The uncertainty has left children without critical care and staff unpaid, underscoring the growing national crisis facing institutions that serve children with special needs.
In other reports, at the same time, public schools across Nelson Mandela Bay are grappling with severe infrastructure decay after more than R500 million in education infrastructure grant funding was withheld. Schools are operating with unsafe buildings, damaged facilities and unreliable access to water and electricity after funds were allegedly spent in contravention of grant conditions.
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Source: Briefly News
