ZANELE MTHETHWA
U BEZIMISELE ukuthola o-A kuzo zonke izifundo umfundi wasesikoleni sabangezwa, ogcine ethole abathathu phezu kokuhlushwa ukugula isikhathi eside.
USthembiso Thabethe (23), obefunda uGrade 12 KwaThintwa Deaf School eBhobhonono, eCato Ridge, umangaze umndeni wakhe edabula o-A ezifundweni ezintathu kweziyisikhombisa abezenza.
Lo mfundi owahlaselwa ngukugula okwamshiya ekhubazekile, ufunde kanzima ekhuliswa ngugogo noyise omncane emuva kokushonelwa ngabazali.
Uthole o-A kwiVisual Arts, Life Orientation nakwiDramatic Arts kulesi sikole angena kuso eneminyaka eyisishiyagalombili ngo-2002.
UMnuz Nkosingiphile Thabethe onguyise omncane, uthe bebengalindele nokuthi uzophasa ngale ndlela ngenxa yezimo adlule kuzo.
“Yize yena ebefuna ukuthola o-A kuzo zonke izifundo, thina sanelisekile ngemiphumela yakhe ngoba siyazi ubegula kanjani. Siyazi ukuthi ubezimisela esikoleni kodwa lokhu akutholile kungaphezu kwebesikulindele,” kusho uThabethe.
Uthe uSthembiso washonelwa ngabazali eneminyaka emine, okwenze ukuthi akhuliswe ugogo ngemali yempesheni belekelelana naye uThabethe.
Kuthiwa wazalwa efana nazo zonke izingane kodwa waqala ukukhubazeka esefunda uGrade 4.
“Wakhula ehlushwa yisifo sokuwa wagcina ethikamezeka ezindlebeni. Kwaba nzima kuyena nasemndenini ukwamukela ukuthi usezokhubazeka, kangangoba wahlala unyaka wonke engafundi. Kwaze kwasiza udokotela owamthumela KwaThintwa kodwa iminyaka yokuqala emibili yaba nzima,” kuchaza uThabethe.
Kuthiwa uSthembiso wake wahlala isikhathi eside esesibhedlela ngenxa yokugula okwenze weqiwa yizifundo. Wabuye waphindela KwaThintwa ngo-2006.
Njengoba esephasile kuthiwa iphupho lakhe ukuyofundela ubuthisha. “Wafaka isicelo eWits University bathi bazomamukela uma sebethole imiphumela yakhe. Sesilinde ukuthola impendulo enyuvesi kodwa siyaludinga noxhaso ngoba ngeke sikwazi ukumfundisa,” usho kanje.
UDkt Mavis Naidoo onguthishanhloko KwaThintwa Deaf School, uthe ujabulile ngemiphumela yalo nyaka njengoba besaligcinile irekhodi lokuphasa ngo-100% iminyaka emihlanu ilandelana.
Uthe bonke abafundi bathole o-A ngabodwana kodwa uSthembiso ugile izimanga.
“Akulula ukuthi abafundi abangezwa baphase ngamalengiso kanje.
Okwenziwe nguSthembiso kukhombisa ukuthi wonke umfundi angakwazi ukuphumelela phezu kwanoma yiziphi izimo. Sibonga nokubambisana kothisha nabafundi okwenza ukuthi kuvele le miphumela,” kusho yena.