Hard road to an education

TEN-YEAR-OLD Willemina Goses is attending school for the first time in her life.

She was born physically handicapped and has to be pushed in a wheelchair to get to class. And due to years of not using her hands, she could not even hold a pen.She needs physiotherapy to loosen her joints and to regain the use of her hands.After years of sitting at home, Willemina came to the Oponganda Centre for handicapped children where it was discovered that despite her handicaps she could attend school.Then the AI Steenkamp Primary School agreed to take Willemina and put her into a special class to give her a chance to catch up together with another wheelchair-bound girl, Otillie, attending the school.The difference between them is that Otillie can get around by herself and she has full use of her hands.Willemina needs to be fed and she needs help with going to the bathroom.This placed a burden on the teacher, as there were other children that needed her attention.So, for the time being, Constancia Tuaandi, a volunteer at the Oponganda Centre is helping Willemina during school time.Pauline Awaseb, principal of AI Steenkamp, said that although it was difficult for the teachers to have a child like Willemina in their class, it was their duty as educators to teach all children and not to turn them away.Every child had a right to be educated.In the week that she has been attending school, Hilaria Nuas, Willemina’s teacher has taught her already how to hold a pen.”In the beginning, she could only make dots on the paper but now she can already draw a little bit,” she said.And due to years of not using her hands, she could not even hold a pen.She needs physiotherapy to loosen her joints and to regain the use of her hands.After years of sitting at home, Willemina came to the Oponganda Centre for handicapped children where it was discovered that despite her handicaps she could attend school.Then the AI Steenkamp Primary School agreed to take Willemina and put her into a special class to give her a chance to catch up together with another wheelchair-bound girl, Otillie, attending the school.The difference between them is that Otillie can get around by herself and she has full use of her hands.Willemina needs to be fed and she needs help with going to the bathroom.This placed a burden on the teacher, as there were other children that needed her attention.So, for the time being, Constancia Tuaandi, a volunteer at the Oponganda Centre is helping Willemina during school time.Pauline Awaseb, principal of AI Steenkamp, said that although it was difficult for the teachers to have a child like Willemina in their class, it was their duty as educators to teach all children and not to turn them away.Every child had a right to be educated.In the week that she has been attending school, Hilaria Nuas, Willemina’s teacher has taught her already how to hold a pen.”In the beginning, she could only make dots on the paper but now she can already draw a little bit,” she said.