The Eastern Cape Department of Education hosted a Disability Career Awareness for pupils living with disabilities to plead for employment opportunities.

The awareness was held at King Sabatha Dalindyebo College, Cicirain Mthatha on Monday, 04 December 2017. The program was initiated to observe and provide effective and conducive environment for disable pupils.

Grade 11 students from Nolitha Special Schools in Mount Frere, Sphamandla Mgijima said that” we’d like the government to provide us with formal employment opportunities because after most students living with disabilities complete school, they have nowhere to go.”

Another learner from Thembisa Special School, Asiphe Tyengani said to the delegates that employment would integrate him with society.

Provincial Department of Education Director of Special Programme Vuyisile Victor Mkentane said, “We are calling up on all structure of government and the private sectors to help us easy the backlog of providing employment to qualified young people living with disabilities.”

He further stated that there is a plan in place to address the employment of qualified young people living with disability issues. “We are currently collecting data of unemployment matriculants living with disability. We want to create a system that will help to generate employment for them in the form of internship, learnership or help get them into tertiary institutions.”

Principals from Special Schools said they were not living issues unattended.

Pamela Mgoduka, educator from Tsolo Special School said that “We try our level best to teach our students survival skills. We are networking a lot, we go ask for assistance in various organisations to employ our students but more needs to be done.

The expo formed part of the celebrations for the disability rights awareness month celebrated annually between the 3^rd of November and December.