This is according to the Department of Basic Education’s report as the world today observes World Autism Day. The day is internationally commemorated every year on the 2nd of April to raise awareness about people living with Autism Spectrum Disorders and to speak out against discrimination.  

The department has called on inclusive education for children living with disabilities and other disorders such as Autism. 

They have further released a report indicating the number of teachers that have already received training per province, with the province of KwaZulu-Natal taking the lead, followed by Gauteng and then the Free State. 

The report has indicated that over 270 teachers in the province have further received specialised training in areas such as language enrichment, speech and hearing problems in the first quarter of the year, alone.

It also ranks high in the number of teachers who received training in Braille during the past quarter.

 A number of health organisations have come out in support of people living with the disorder and urged the education department to do more in ensuring that learners with Autism are accommodated and afforded the right to education like all the other children.

Autism is defined as a developmental disorder which impairs the ability to communicate and interact. It is characterised by a range of symptoms which often appear during first 3 years of life. While some children show signs of autism since birth, others slip into the symptoms suddenly when they are 18 to 36 months old.

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