The Public Servants Association (PSA) has warned that educators and learners at Tlamelang Special School in Gelukspan are facing escalating emotional and psychological strain because of the absence of professional psychological support. The PSA says the School, which serves children with disabilities, has repeatedly requested intervention from the North West Department of Education but remains without access to specialist mental-health services.
Educators managing complex needs without specialists
According to the PSA, teachers at the special school are required to manage complex emotional and behavioural needs without the backing of a psychologist or multi-disciplinary team. The association says this shortfall places an unsustainable burden on staff and reduces the quality of care and education available to vulnerable learners.
The PSA highlighted the Province’s reported allocation of “one psychologist”, a level of resourcing it described as inadequate for the number of special schools and learners with disabilities in the North West. The association called on the Department of Education to prioritise deployment to special schools in underserved areas such as Gelukspan.
“one psychologist”
Impact on learners and educators
Without timely psychological services, the PSA warned learners may experience ongoing trauma, anxiety and other difficulties that will undermine their educational progress and developmental outcomes. Educators, meanwhile, face increased workplace stress and the risk of burnout as they try to meet complex care needs without specialist input.
The PSA also raised concerns about reported inadequate parental support from some caregivers, which compounds the challenges at the School and increases the dependence on professional services to stabilise learners’ wellbeing.
- Immediate risks: unmanaged behavioural crises, interrupted learning, heightened anxiety among learners.
- Systemic pressures: under-resourced specialist services, strain on classroom staff, uneven access across rural areas.
- Wider concerns: reported misuse of disability grants that may undermine the material support available to learners.
Calls for wider action and accountability
The PSA called for a substantial increase in the number of psychologists allocated to the North West Province and urged the Department of Education and other relevant government stakeholders to act collaboratively. The association also asked for an investigation into the reported misuse of disability grants to ensure funds are used for the benefit of children in line with the Social Assistance Act.
While the PSA emphasised the need for immediate deployments, it also stressed the requirement for longer-term measures: integrated multi-disciplinary teams for special schools, better training and support for educators, and stronger links between schools, health services and social-development offices.
| Issue | Reported effect |
|---|---|
| No deployed psychologists | Educators managing complex cases without specialist input |
| Learners with disabilities | Increased trauma, anxiety and compromised developmental outcomes |
| Alleged misuse of disability grants | Potential loss of material support for learners |
Practical implications for families and the school
The absence of psychological services at a special school has direct consequences for daily routines, behaviour management and learning programmes. Parents and caregivers should be aware that delays in accessing professional diagnosis, therapy and counselling can slow progress for children with complex needs. The PSA’s statement suggests parents, school governing bodies and unions may need to engage directly with the Department of Education and provincial health services to seek interim measures while longer-term appointments are arranged.
Possible interim approaches include establishing regular case conferences with available district health professionals, training sessions for educators on managing specific behaviours, and stronger referral pathways to community-based mental-health services where available. These steps, however, require coordination and resources from provincial departments.
What the PSA wants next
The PSA wants immediate deployment of psychologists to special schools in underserved districts, an increase in the total number of psychologists allocated to the North West, and a probe into disability-grant use so that state support benefits the intended children. The association framed its demand as both a labour and child-rights issue: protecting educators’ working conditions and ensuring learners receive the specialist care their disabilities require.
The North West Department of Education will need to respond publicly to the PSA’s concerns, detail any short-term relief measures at Tlamelang Special School and set out a plan for permanent appointments and multi-disciplinary support. Without prompt action, the PSA warned, the educational and developmental prospects of learners and the mental health of educators will remain at risk.
