Mandela Day – Pledge Letter
About This Project
The 18th of July marks the birthdays of both Nelson Mandela and Adelaide Tambo. This year, to mark this special occasion, the Nelson Mandela Foundation (NMF) and the Oliver and Adelaide Tambo Foundation (OATF) have collaborated on their 2017 Mandela Day initiatives. To that effect, we have chosen the Adelaide Tambo School for the Physically Challenged (ATS) as our flagship project.
The Adelaide Tambo School, was established in 1980 and originally known as J.C. Merkin School, until 1999 when it was re-named The Adelaide Tambo School. The school caters for children with special needs. It accommodates learners who are physically challenged and learners with learning disabilities, from previously disadvantaged communities around Soweto and from other provinces. The total number of learners at the school is 410.
The school is dedicated to promoting quality education, enabling all learners to meaningfully engage in economic activities and contribute to the general development of society. The school offers both academic, sporting and cultural activities. To date the school has learners who participate and have excelled in national and international sporting codes.
The school offers the following learning units:
- Academic – Grade 1 – 12
- Skills Department – Level 1 – 3
- Rehabilitation Department – Physiotherapy; Occupational Therapy; Speech Therapy; Nursing and Social Work
Academic
There are three main streams:
- Commerce
- Science
- General
The school also offers two Elective Subjects, together with the subjects offered in each stream:
- Music
- Computer Applied Technology
The Adelaide Tambo School has a competent staff of over 120 members, which include teachers, therapists, nurses, care givers, housekeepers, drivers, security personnel and general assistants. The school also offers boarding facilities for approximately 150 learners, and has a reputation for producing good academic results and excellent sports and music performance.