Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items

Nurturing disability inclusion within higher education institutions

06 December 2021 | Story Maduvha Malivhoho | Photo Supplied

Maduvha Malivhoho is an Editor at the Accessible Study Material Production team for the University of the Free State (UFS) Centre for Universal Access and Disability Support (CUADS).

"Disability describes the social exclusion and barriers imposed on people with disabilities and impairments evoke an unpleasant feeling in us, and it is the feeling which motivates how we react when we face disability and people with disabilities." – Brian Watermeyer

South Africa commemorates National Disability Rights Month, known as DRAM, annually between 3 November and 3 December. International Day of Persons with Disabilities, also known as National Disability Rights Awareness Day, is celebrated on 3 December. The theme for 2021 is ‘The Year of Charlotte Manye Maxeke – Create and Realise an Inclusive Society Upholding Rights of Persons with Disabilities’.

Disability is a quintessential post-modern concept, because it is complex, variable, contingent, and situated. One is always disabled concerning the context in which you are put, subject to many definitions from different perspectives, and is used for various disciplines ranging from medicine, sociology, and political science. To fully comprehend disability, one needs to consider multiple perception models in the quest for a better understanding of disability; so-called ‘models of disability’ emerge in disability research. In line with most notions of disability, it could be associated with the medical model, social model, human rights model, and biopsychosocial model. Disability models aim to demonstrate how society perceives, understands, and addresses the needs of people with disabilities.

The Disability Models

Medical model: views disability as a personal tragedy in need of cure and rehabilitation.

Social model: views disability as predominantly a socially driven issue; allows us to reconstruct social inequality for people with disabilities as a collective experience of discrimination and injustice, rather than a personal tragedy affecting only individuals. However, the model does not address the emotional aspects of disability and the realities of impairment.

Biopsychosocial model: views disability as a combination of an individual's state of health and their surrounding environment, that is, society. By recognising disability as a social construct of intricate variables and interaction of biological factors (genetic, biochemical, etc.) and psychological factors (mood, personality, behaviour, etc.), the social aspects (cultural, familial, socio-economic, and medical, etc.) is to recognise the complexity; specifically, the intersectionality that informs disability is recognised.

The human rights model: assumes that societal barriers can only be removed by guaranteeing rights to people with disabilities. Human rights principles recognise that fundamental rights are inherent in all human beings, regardless of race, gender, ability, and nationality. Therefore, disability rights are viewed as a human right under this paradigm, advocating for equal participation and opportunities for individuals with impairments.

Promoting the human rights of people with disabilities, the White Paper on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in South Africa mandates a universal design approach, which is defined as "the design of products, environments, programs, and services to be usable by all persons to the greatest extent possible without the need for adaptation or specialized design."

As per the Global Education Monitoring report on inclusion and education, the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework is particularly relevant for a comprehensive understanding of inclusive education as tackling barriers to learning, noting that "the Universal Design for Learning concept encompasses approaches to enhance accessibility and eliminate barriers to learning." Such an approach can help to integrate UDL into the educational system by addressing the various social, emotional, and learning requirements of different groups while working for the universal system-related goal.

South Africa is among the few countries in the world to have signed and ratified the most acclaimed global convention on disability in 2007. The international trend endorsed by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) seeks to promote, protect, and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights by persons with disabilities. Although disability is varyingly defined, and definitions change across time and space, the UNCRPD defines persons with disabilities to include long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments, which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis. For this reason, creating and realising an inclusive upholding of the rights of persons with disabilities is critical in building an enabling environment for all. However, despite progressive legislative structures in South Africa, persons with disabilities continue to face barriers that prevent equal access to opportunities and participating fully in all aspects of life. It is primarily due to inaccessible infrastructure, prejudice, stigmatisation, discrimination, and attitudinal behaviour towards persons with disabilities, which often result from a lack of understanding.

According to Stats SA, 80% of persons with disabilities aged 20-24 are not attending tertiary education, yet the population of students with disabilities at tertiary institutions is just 1%. It is also revealed that there is a strong demographic gap between races. Access to education is necessary for advancing sustainable development, but it is evident that inclusivity within tertiary education remains out of reach for many. The University of the Free State aims to foster disability inclusion within the Integrated Transformation Plan, which is in line with the universal access approach guided by the Centre for Universal Access and Disability Support (CUADS).

CUADS, a well-known disability unit, was established in line with non-discrimination legislative changes and inclusive policy frameworks for access and equal participation for students with disabilities. It serves as a bridge between students with disabilities and the institution, ensuring mutual understanding. The majority of such departments are led and managed by women, as women have a dynamic role in enhancing and nurturing the aspirations of children and youth with disabilities to get access to education. Despite the positive role of these departments in the full inclusion of students with disabilities, attitudinal barriers remain a challenge to their non-disabled counterparts.

Furthermore, female students with disabilities face particularly higher levels of marginalisation and disadvantage because of the double discrimination based on their disability and gender. Their status as women renders them vulnerable to gender-based violence (GBV), including sexual abuse, maltreatment, exploitation, and intimate partner violence (IPV) compared to men with disabilities.

South Africa has a high prevalence of GBV, especially IPV. Women with disabilities are more at risk and experience an additional layer of violence compared to women without disabilities and men with and without disabilities. It is also revealed that blind women and women with severe intellectual and mental disabilities are equally perceived as highly exposed to GBV compared to women with other disabilities (e.g., if an intellectually challenged individual could not give informed consent and/or when they report it, it will be difficult for them to identify the perpetrator).

Furthermore, men with disabilities are at greater risk of GBV, but not comparable to women and girls with disabilities. The gap perpetuates unequal gender relations in all contexts of South Africans’ lives. While various organisations seek to promote women's rights in GBV advocacy, there is relatively little emphasis on GBV against persons with disabilities, including violence against women and children.

To build an inclusive society, one needs to understand intersectionality concepts that provide a prism to comprehend marginalisation and exclusion better. Understanding intersectionality is related to how various identities such as race, gender, class, disability, sexuality, and others intersect – how lived identities are seen as entwined with oppressive systems that are mutually constitutive and reinforcing. Intersectionality as an approach recognises how complex reality is and how this complexity informs social conditions and behaviour; it acknowledges that people's lives are defined by multiple layered identities that derive from social relations, histories, cultures, and other operations of power structures.

It is an analytical tool for exploring, comprehending, and responding to how gender intersects with different identities and how these intersections lead to distinctive oppression and privilege experiences. Also, intersectionality addresses how social structural norms such as racism, patriarchy, classism, and other social systems of discrimination function and interact to create social inequalities that shape attitudes and behaviour towards those who are different, such as those with disabilities. The approach invites us to shift away from binary thinking and towards a more global human rights stance.

Therefore, higher education institutions have a critical role in shaping the future of society as places where students are educated and prepared for their future vocations. In line with inclusive curricula, the university should introduce disability discourse into models such as UFSS, which is mandatory for all first-years. Also, the institution should increase awareness and visibility by incorporating critical disability messages into all discussions, addressing all aspects; utilising disability posters on campus, and departments such as Residence Life, KovsieSport, UFS Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL), and CUADS should collaborate to host disability events and heighten communication around it; leveraging other mega events such as national days, themed days, conferences, etc., to spread messages on disability and to build an inclusive society; hosting lectures, debates, and discussions on disability topics and promoting rights of persons with disabilities; and hosting student competitions on equality, justice, and human dignity. Through such interventions, the university will have a community that can facilitate the creation of inclusive spaces in their homes, communities, work, and social areas. Disability should be a collective responsibility to achieve an inclusive society that upholds the rights of persons with disabilities.

Inclusive legislative policies (i.e., the White Paper on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, 2018 and the Strategic Policy Framework on Disability for the Post-School Education and Training sector) should guide institutions to ensure that students with disabilities are protected. These documents further promote the right to (inclusive) education, as a universal access approach in education does not benefit only students with disabilities, but everyone.

News Archive

SRC Inauguration speech: 22 January 2005

2005-01-22

Campus Head (Prof Peter Mbati). Dean of Students (Dr Natie Luyt). Deputy Director: Student Affairs and my boss (Mr. Teboho Manchu), Members of the University executive and Academic staff members, SRC members, Leaders of trade Unions and Student organizations, Distinguished guests, Ladies and gentlemen, most importantly first entering students and Parents receive my heartfelt revolutionary greetings.

Let me extend my word of appreciation to our distinguished guests for adding value and dignity to this event. Your presence here means a lot to us. Program Director what I bring here with me, assisted by facts, and is therefore just the work of my imagination. Like a love letter addressed to a sweetheart miles away, even though you do not know how she feels, what she wants to hear, and do not even know how her face looks like.

To me a speech is just an honest and intimate conversation. That is why I got into the habit of establishing a dialogue, or a debate, with my acquaintances looking at their faces and trying to persuade them of what I am telling them.

Mr. Speaker and Madam Deputy Speaker of the Student Parliament we are gathering at this ceremony, significantly few weeks after the release of grade 12 results, with the exception of those from Mpumalanga because of fraud. The Grade 12 results also show that only 18% of Black learners matriculated with exemptions, as compared to 53, 6% of white learners. This is an indication that our education system needs an overhaul.

We are also gathered here significantly a day after the management retreat held in Bloemfontein, Masselspoort. The retreat discussed, among other things, the transformation agenda, and some possible solutions to challenges we are facing now.

Most regrettably, we are gathered here when the whole world morns the victims of Tsunami tragedy. Let me therefore tore the line and convey our deepest condolences, from the last robot of my heart, to the affected families. Our hearts and thoughts will always be occupied by this horrified tragedy.

Creating a new Institution

I would submit, for purposes of debate and discussions that this Institution should strive to specialize and excel in regional rural development studies. Since our higher education, institutions in South Africa are generally weak in rural development studies. Instead, most of them tend to have an urban orientation to their programmes. Training everybody for the cities, big business and the private sector. This is a big weakness in a country with such large rural areas and population trapped in poverty, disease and ignorance.

Women’s studies

Program Director, it is only a moron who can argue against the fact that for us to reposition the institution around the regional development challenge, we need to start first with women empowerment. It is a fact that in most of our poor communities and families, it is women who withstand the worst of poverty. They are the ones who daily have to wipe tears from children who are hungry. It is women who look after the sick, the elderly, those dying from AIDS and the jobless. They are the one who have to fetch water, make fire and cook. There can therefore be no rural development studies without women studies, in particular on how to empower them and assist in the provision of basic services, so that they are relieved from some of the burdensome task of the society.

Registration Process

Mr. Speaker and Madam Deputy Speaker of the Student Parliament let me indicate that the registration is a process and not an event, so it cannot be concluded overnight. This huge process demands for people to stay calm, as there is no crisis. People should stop being excited. At the same time, no organization should use its cheap popularity and unilaterally disrupt the continuous and smooth running of the registration process at hand.

Let me strongly indicate, madam deputy speaker, that I am on record for stating that I have forgiven all those who have wronged us. I harbour no bitterness towards the protagonists of our painful and unfortunate events of the past week. And we will overcome this process not by our own devices but by the help of Almighty God and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Concerning registration of first years, we have programs, concerning that of senior students, we have programs, regarding graduations we have programs, and concerning HIV\AIDS we have programs. So, there is no need for people to press panicking buttons.

Mr. Speaker and Madam Deputy Speaker of the Student Parliament let me be opportunistic and welcome the entire student body on Campus for the academic year 2005. May our lovely first entering students have a happy and momentous year as part of Qwaqwa Campus of University of the Free State. May your studies be fruitful and enjoyable.

Student years are generally the happiest years of your life, so please make the most of them. While you are doing, all your preparations bear in mind that University is not an opportunity, it is just creating opportunities for a person.

On behalf of SRC members, our people, our students and management members I would like to welcome you all. Even though your parents are far away, here at Uniqwa you have more brothers, more sisters and more parents. Since we will love you with the same love as if we are from one family, and I have no doubts that management members will love and care for you as if you are their own children. Should you encounter any problem while studying at the Qwaqwa Campus of University of the Free State do not hesitate to contact us at the SRC offices because we need to ameliorate any factor influencing you negatively while on campus. I wish you well in the attainment of your academic pursuit.

Senior Students: We are not faced with just a new year but another academic year where we all have to work together to achieve our common goal of building our Institution through the development of human power. I urge you to invest your whole selves in this SRC.

For quite some time now, a debate has been ranging as to, whether has there been any progress in this incorporation process, or we are just moving with no direction. This debate is important, but I hasten to add not essential. The SRC is also involved in this debate, but with definite shift in emphasis. For us it is not important to participate in the debate than it is in finding solutions for the challenges of this new chapter in the history of humankind.

To my colleagues: Comrades, we are leading this Institution with a sense of pride and duty, and I know very well that we lead men and women, students who are determined to ensure that we all reach our destination safely and on time.

I said in one of our meetings that there are more enemies on our way, more than we can imagine. I think you witnessed that during the course of this week. The excitement and unnecessary confusions caused by some confused and loosed charlatans bear testimony to my statements. We should not reveal our game plans unless we are ready to slam.

Let me also borrow from the words of the late Albert Lethuli when he said and I quote: “There remains before us the building of the new land, from the ruins of the old narrow groups, a synthesis of the rich cultural strains which we have inherited. The task is immense”. Lastly, a navy divided within its ranks will be vanquished and destroyed by the enemy, but a navy united in purpose and action, loyalty and commitment will not drawn but sail on to victory.

In conclusion, let me call upon all political structures, church denominations, developmental structures, clubs, societies and forums to put aside all their differences, ideological insinuations and forge unity towards transforming Qwaqwa Campus of University of the Free State into an institution that is seen playing vigilant role in developing students academically, politically, socially, spiritually, religiously, culturally and otherwise.

Program Director, let me end my speech by indicating that every drop of my blood is telling me that Uniqwa is my home. I firstly became a student here, I became an activist here, I became a leader here, I became a president here, I will become a graduant here and hopefully I will become an employee here. So never, doubt my commitment towards the community of this campus.

Please be informed, in a central University of Technology’s way, that if there is no UNIQWA in HEAVEN, then I am not GOING.

Let us broaden the social base.

Tello Titus Wa-Motloung President General

Back

Economic and Management Sciences

Education

Health Sciences

The Humanities

Law

Natural and Agricultural Sciences

Theology and Religion

Open Distance Learning

Business School

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept