NMMU’s first blind students show way

Pioneers do themselves, university proud despite challenges

MAKING history and paving the way for other blind students wanting to enter mainstream tertiary education has driven NMMU’s first blind students in 20 years to push through their studies.

This is despite some initial hiccups – particularly a heavy reliance on other students for help learning and navigating the campus – that almost saw the three former Efata School for the Blind pupils throw in the towel.

Avukile Jeke, Ncebakazi Siziba and Lubabalo Sapepa, set to begin their third year of studies, said they were proud to have “made history and softened the ground for those who will come after us”.

“We know this was not just our battle,” Jeke said.

“We want to . . . ensure that those blind students who come after us do not experience the same challenges we were faced with on arrival.”

Jeke and Sapepa were among the three students who were initially rejected by NMMU because of their disability, with the university citing a lack of facilities.

Vice-chancellor Professor Derrick Swartz reversed the decision after hearing of their plight through The Herald.

Since then, another student, Yanelisa Gininda, has left NMMU.

The remaining three yesterday said things had improved vastly since they arrived in 2014.

“In the beginning, we had to record lectures or ask classmates to read the work out to us in order to learn,” Jeke said.

“But by the end of the first semester in that first year, we had the Jaws [computer screen reader] programme on our laptops, which made life a lot easier.”

Jeke – who will be part of the SA Judo for the Blind team at this year’s Paralympic Games in Brazil – said 2015 had been a good year for him, with three distinctions to show for it.

“I want to do my post-grad next year . . . I’m very happy to have been part of this university.

“It is truly a university that educates for life and for work.”

Sapepa, for whom this will also be his final year, said he had almost dropped the ball last year, with a module he barely passed at the end of the first semester.

“I knew I had to pull up my socks. I just can’t afford to fail anything or drop the standard,” he said.

“Last year was quite challenging, with my highest mark being 74%, but my aim this year is to get distinctions. I want to go out with a bang,” he said.

Siziba, who is doing a bachelor of social work degree, said she planned to make this year and the next count.

“Last year, I had challenges with my practical assessments, [but] I managed two distinctions in June,” she said.

“We are proud to have represented the blind community well.

“We don’t want the university to regret its decision to admit us and for others to be afraid to apply to such institutions.

“It can be done. It has been done.”