UKZN’s Disability Unit Reaches Out to Communities

BY: .

The UKZN Disability Support Unit recently held an information and awareness session for deaf, hard of hearing and hearing impaired prospective students at the Howard College campus.

The event, held in association with the Deaf Federation of South Africa-KZN, aimed to inform learners about how to best access and participate in academic opportunities offered by the University.

Principals of schools for hearing impaired learners, the learners themselves, and various NGO directors attended the event to gather first-hand information regarding the University and its application process.

Executive Director: Student Services, Dr Sibusiso Chalufu, said UKZN has worked hard to ensure that all students have equal opportunities.

He added that it is a great pleasure and an honour for the University to reach out to communities, to be critically engaged with society, and to be the institution of choice for students as listed in Goals 2 and 5 of the University’s Strategic Plan 2007-2016.

Dr Chalufu encouraged learners to work hard and reminded them that a dream does not become a reality through magic. ‘Don’t limit yourselves; you can go as far as your mind lets you,’ he said.

About 470 students with disabilities are currently registered at UKZN and 70 students with disabilities recently graduated from the University.

Chalufu commended the passion and hard work of staff in the Disability Unit in ensuring students receive the support they need. He said the University aims to increase support offered by the Unit.

Learners were also informed about the Humanities Access Programme, accommodation, student funding, support in the School of Education, and about the kind of student experience they can look forward to. Guests were taken on a tour of the Disability Unit.

Representatives from the different schools included principals from Fulton School for the Deaf, V N Naik School for the Deaf, St Martin School for the Deaf, Durban School for the Hearing Impaired and Vuleka School for the Deaf. There were also directors from the Deaf Federation of South Africa–KZN, the KwaZulu-Natal Blind and Deaf Society and the KwaZulu-Natal Deaf Association.

Sithembile Shabangu