The Oversight and Capacity Building Programme conducted in the Vhembe East District, Limpopo Province from 2 to 4 June 2026, was attended by 117 participants, including officials from Teacher Development, Inclusive Education, Subject Advisors, Early Childhood Development (ECD) practitioners, a Social Worker, and Circuit Managers. This initiative builds on the February to April 2025 capacity-building programme aimed at strengthening inclusive practices through the curriculum. Limpopo Province continues to demonstrate strong leadership in this area under Director, Mathukwane Makgato.
In his opening remarks, the District Director, Mr Munzhelele Rendani, reaffirmed the importance of inclusive pedagogy and acknowledged the sustained support of the DBE and the Provincial Office. Mr Christo Jones outlined the purpose of the visit as strengthening the capacity of School Management Teams (SMTs) to institutionalise inclusive practices and ensure that no school, including Special Schools, is left behind.
The programme commenced with inputs from Mr Sello Mabathoana and Ms Desiree Letshwiti on the occupational pathway in Special Schools, emphasising coordinated subject advisor support across districts and at provincial level. Presentations by SMTs and ECD centres followed, highlighting curriculum implementation, monitoring strategies, and inclusive practices.
A central focus was the integration of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Ms Monyane Chaane emphasised that, just as the infrastructure sector requires all new buildings to include universal access features such as ramps, accessible sanitation, and lifts with Braille and audio systems, curriculum planning must adopt the same principle. Lesson planning, she stressed, must be intentionally designed to respond to learner diversity from the outset, ensuring equitable access and meaningful participation for all. Dr Bridget Mthembu reinforced the importance of flexible assessment, noting that standardised approaches are inadequate and that diverse learner strengths must be recognised to support progression and certification.
On the second day, the Chief Education Specialist for Curriculum, Mr Rendani Ramuedzini, organised participants into six groups to conduct verification visits to schools and ECD centres to identify good practices and gaps. On the third day, findings were presented, highlighting both strengths and areas requiring improvement, particularly in strengthening SMT capacity.
Dr Shalati Mazini acknowledged the progress made, noting persistent gaps requiring targeted intervention and confirmed that further capacity-building initiatives will follow. As part of the way forward, Ms Monyane Chaane handed over key policy documents, the 2011 Guidelines for Responding to Learner Diversity through CAPS and the 2014 Screening, Identification, Assessment and Support Policy (SIAS), to support districts in addressing targeted gaps.
In closing, Dr Sello Galane emphasised that all levels of the education system are accountable within the legal and policy framework and must act with urgency to address identified gaps and ensure compliance.