According to the Basic Department of Education, North West, the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape are the five provinces where the department provided extra support to learners with special needs during the lockdown period - and afterwards. 

Minister Angie Motshekga in a parliamentary reply to the DA, outlined that parents and guardians in North West have not only been kept abreast with changes in the curriculum, and changes brought about at schools in adherence to the Covid-19 regulations, but that they were contacted on how to access therapeutic support.

Motshekga refutes allegations that learners with special education needs have been left unattended, whilst the department tries to find means to continue with teaching and learning amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.

She highlights that her department in North West specifically further collaborated with the Department of Health regarding the rendering of therapeutic services for special needs learners while they were at home.

"A Facebook page was created to support learners by transversal itinerant outreach teams. Google Classroom was used to support learners with co-morbidities. Arrangements were made for parents to collect learning materials, assistive devices and instructions from schools," she added.

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