Impact of national curriculum statement (NCS) on learners with severe intellectual disability in the Rustenburg district of Bojanala region, North West province

Abstract

Background: Learners with severe intellectual disability are those with a serious condition of learning disability due to the· limitation in intellectual functioning. These learners participate in the National Curriculum Statement (NCS) approach since there is no special curriculum for them. The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of severe intellectual disability and to find out whether learners of this condition are able to achieve the learning outcomes and assessment standards prescribed by the NCS. To get access to the different age groups of learners, the study investigated both the Middle and Senior phases of the two schools. Method: Ethnographical study of qualitative research was followed. Data for the study were collected using class observations and educators' questionnaires. Data from the related literature review were also collected. Results: The results revealed that learners with severe intellectual disability could not achieve the learning outcomes and -assessment standards prescribed by the NCS within the whole school period, 8 to 21 years. Conclusion: Learners with severe intellectual disability could not benefit from participating in the standard school curriculum. Suggestions were given from both the empirical study and the literature on the curriculum that would provide better learning opportunities for learners with severe intellectual disability.