Pretoria and the South Africa Department of Basic Education
Today, Professor Max and I were in
Pretoria, making a visit to the South Africa Department of Basic
Education, housed in an impressive building in the city
center. We met with a team of government officials who are
responsible for implementing and monitoring services for students
with disabilities across the nine provinces of South Africa. This
team was very interested in talking with us about career
transition and would ultimately like to ensure that all students
with disabilities obtain productive community-based employment
after completing their schooling. We left the meeting very
energized and look forward to further conversations about
implementation of these concepts in local schools.
After the Department of Education meetings, we had a chance to visit the Union Buildings, the official seat of the South African Government and home to the offices of the President of South Africa (so, it’s akin to visiting the White House in Washington, D.C.). The Union Buildings sit atop the highest point of Pretoria, with lovely gardens overlooking the city. A larger-than-life statue of Nelson Mandela sits just below the buildings, commemorating his contributions to freedom and reconciliation in South Africa.
Lauren
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