A Critical Review of South Africa’s National Disability Policy: Are Higher Education Institutions Meeting the Mandate?

Emeldah C. Munjanja () and Eleanor A. Hendricks ()
Additional contact information
Emeldah C. Munjanja: University of Fort Hare, South Africa
Eleanor A. Hendricks: North-West University, South Africa

Eurasian Journal of Social Sciences, 2024, vol. 12, issue 2, 47-65

Abstract: The South African government introduced the Disability Policy in 2015 to support the inclusion and rights of differently abled students in higher education. Despite these efforts, differently abled students continue to encounter significant barriers in higher education, calling into question the effectiveness of current policy implementation. This study examines the implementation of the Disability Policy at selected institutions in the Raymond Mhlaba Municipality, Eastern Cape, to evaluate if the mandate is being fulfilled. Using a qualitative approach, fifteen differently abled students and five staff members from Disability and Student Counselling Units were selected through purposive sampling. Semi-structured interviews provided in-depth insights into the challenges and successes of policy implementation. Data was thematically analyzed, revealing persistent barriers such as inadequate staff training, insufficient resources, and a lack of clear guidelines within the policy. Additionally, some students hesitated to access support due to low awareness or stigma associated with disclosure. The findings underscore the need for comprehensive improvements, including policy reviews, increased budget allocations, and enhanced training for institutional staff on disability policy and inclusivity practices. The study advocates for a proactive, collaborative approach to ensure effective policy implementation, ultimately guiding policymakers on bridging the gap between policy and practice in South African higher education.

Keywords: Differently Abled Students; Higher Education Institutions; National Disability Policy Of South Africa; Disability Unit and Student Counselling Unit (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://eurasianpublications.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/ejss-12.2.1_v1.pdf (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ejn:ejssjr:v:12:y:2024:i:2:p:47-65

Access Statistics for this article

Eurasian Journal of Social Sciences is currently edited by Emanuele Francia

More articles in Eurasian Journal of Social Sciences from Eurasian Publications
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Esra Barakli ().