While most of last year’s matriculants are finalising their future in institutions of higher learning or securing employment, only a handful of people with disabilities will be doing the same.
The reason is that only an estimated 5% of youth with disabilities matriculate every year, says Beth Cook, CEO of the company Progression, aimed at successfully integrating more people living with disabilities into the workplace.
“Giving more context, it is important to understand that the employable number within the particular target group of persons with disabilities in general constitutes less than 10% of the population of South Africa,” Cook explains. “Most of this very small pool of people have no work experience, limited education, no matric qualification and a lack self-confidence and social skills.”
This presents a conundrum for corporate South Africa when adhering to the employment equity requirements, as the number of people with disabilities who hold a matric qualification is minimal.
“Simply put, there are not enough matriculants with disabilities to fill up the vacancies reserved for them,” Cook points out. “Only considering learners who have achieved a matric often results in the ‘recycling’ of these learners. Not only does this prevent the learner from finding a permanent position, but it also excludes other learners with disabilities, who do not have a matric, but can still add value to an organisation.”
She says the problem is also systematic, with groups from disadvantaged backgrounds suffering the most.
“In many rural and township schools, the educators are not qualified to teach pupils with disabilities or special needs. It is apparent in the number of learners who drop out of the system before entering Grade 11 and Grade 12.”
According to the Department of Basic Education’s latest focus on education report, Grade 10 is the most repeated grade in South Africa. In 2015, 20,4% of learners registered for Grade 10 were repeating it.
To deal with these issues better, Cook strongly recommends that employers facilitate the development of learners from economically disadvantaged groups through learnership initiatives that do not require a matric qualification as a prerequisite for granting them access to the workplace.
