South Africa’s Re Tlameng Special Needs School Receives Upgrades as Ramaphosa Calls for Greater Inclusion

President uses Human Rights Day visit to highlight the gap in special needs education and urge continued public-private partnership

President Cyril Ramaphosa has held up the Re Tlameng Special Needs School in Kimberley as a symbol of South Africa’s constitutional commitment to the rights and dignity of every citizen, while acknowledging that the country still has significant ground to cover in ensuring access to quality education for children with disabilities.

The President visited the school on Saturday ahead of the official Human Rights Day programme at the AR Abass Stadium in Kimberley, where he toured recently upgraded facilities made possible through collaboration between government and private sector partners.

33 Years of Serving Visually and Hearing-Impaired Learners

Established over three decades ago, Re Tlameng Special Needs School has spent 33 years providing education to visually and hearing-impaired learners in the Northern Cape. For Ramaphosa, the school represents more than an institution — it embodies the spirit of the country’s founding document.

“The Constitution commits all of us to work together for a shared future that upholds the rights and dignity of every South African. This school is a testament to that enduring commitment,” he said.

New Facilities Through Public-Private Collaboration

Recent upgrades to the school include an improved library, a refurbished computer laboratory, and the installation of a multipurpose combi court. The institution also received a donation of books in both English and Setswana, alongside laptops to support digital learning — contributions the President praised as a direct translation of constitutional values into real-world impact.

Ramaphosa called on existing partners to remain engaged and encouraged others to follow suit. “When government, the private sector and public institutions work together, we are able to unlock resources, innovation and solutions that no single entity can achieve alone,” he said.

Half a Million Children With Special Needs Still Out of School

Despite the positive developments at Re Tlameng, the President was candid about the scale of the challenge facing the country. Citing Statistics South Africa, he noted that between 500,000 and 900,000 children with special needs remain outside the formal education system — a gap he described as extending beyond physical infrastructure to include the broader support services essential for learning and development.

“There are not enough facilities to meet the need,” Ramaphosa acknowledged, framing partnerships between government, business, labour, and civil society as essential to closing that divide.