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Community Involvement

THUTHUKANI SPECIAL SCHOOLRef: https://www.thuthukani.org.za/community-involvement/

Official source

Source domain: thuthukani.org.za

Collected on 29 July 2026

Always confirm details on the official source before acting.

Our copy (archived 29 July 2026)Official source

What this means

This document is a webpage section titled “Community Involvement” for Thuthukani Special School. It describes the school’s outreach and community engagement activities (parent days and support groups, links with other schools, participation in community events, awareness training, and hosting visiting educators and students). It also outlines fundraising and support needs, including an annual target of about R1 400 000 to supplement a Department of Education subsidy, a feeding programme, and donation/sponsorship campaigns (“Sponsor a Child” and “Sponsor a Volunteer”). The page further states that Thuthukani Special School has been identified as a Resource Centre by the National and Provincial Department of Education to pilot the National Educational Policy on Inclusion.

Facts

Reference

https://www.thuthukani.org.za/community-involvement/

Amounts

R 1 400 000

Key Takeaways

  • Document type: webpage section titled “Community Involvement” for Thuthukani Special School
  • Parent’s days: twice a year on a Saturday
  • Monthly parent support groups: parents invited to visit learners’ classes on a school day
  • Support includes transport to/from school and a tuck shop
  • Outreach includes links with Dover School (sport field and hall use) and other mainstream schools sharing resources
  • Community events: ladies days, church fetes; guest speakers to raise awareness of disability
  • Awareness training invitations: FET colleges and local businesses; supported by local Indunas
  • 2023: participation in an international study on how girls experience disability; learner and teacher attended a conference in Vietnam
  • 2012: asked to present a paper at the 2012 World Down Syndrome Congress
  • Resource Centre status: identified by National and Provincial Department of Education to pilot the National Educational Policy on Inclusion
  • Skills Development Program supported by Rotary Empangeni; received an International Rotary award
  • Funding need: approximately R1 400 000.00 per year to supplement Department of Education subsidy
  • Feeding programme: basic breakfast and lunch daily; need to supplement government-sponsored food with fresh vegetables and additional staples
  • Sponsor-a-Child campaign: community members pay school fees on behalf of a child
  • Sponsor-a-Volunteer campaign: fundraising for a cost-of-living contribution for core workers/volunteers
  • Volunteers: 33% of staff are volunteers (class assistants, cooks, gardeners, cleaners)
  • Thuthukani Special School
  • Dover School
  • National Department of Education
  • Provincial Department of Education
  • Rotary Empangeni
  • University of Kwa-Zulu Natal
  • University of Zululand
  • Michigan (mentioned as a visiting school/university)
  • UK (mentioned as a visiting school/university)
  • Hong Kong (mentioned as a visiting school/university)
  • Brazil (mentioned as a visiting school/university)
  • Norway (mentioned as a visiting school/university)
  • New Zealand (mentioned as a visiting school/university)
  • Vietnam (mentioned as conference location and visiting participation)