As we close out Human Rights Month in South Africa, SECTION27 launches a new report highlighting a gap in the country’s education system: orientation and mobility training for learners who are blind and visually impaired. The Orientation + Mobility Report argues that without this support, thousands of learners are navigating both school and daily life without the tools they need to be safe, independent, and included.
Orientation and mobility training helps visually impaired learners understand their location, plan where they want to go, and move safely through their environment. Practically, this includes learning how to navigate school grounds, cross streets, use public transportation, and complete other everyday tasks, such as preparing meals. These skills are essential for helping learners fully participate in school and build confidence and independence.
The report finds that despite the importance of this training, access to it remains extremely limited in South Africa. There are only about 50 professional orientation and mobility practitioners in the country, and 2023 data shows that only five of the 23 schools for the blind had a dedicated orientation and mobility trainer on staff. This means one practitioner must attend to 40-45 learners, which does not allow for quality and consistent training.
The shortage of orientation and mobility practitioners has serious consequences: Without training, many learners struggle to move safely and independently in their schools and communities. They may be forced to rely on peers for assistance, face increased risk of injury, and find it harder to adapt to new environments. Over time, this undermines their autonomy and limits their ability to fully access the right to basic education guaranteed by the Constitution.
The report emphasises that orientation and mobility training is not an optional extra; it is a core part of education and development for learners with visual impairments. It is the foundation that enables learners to navigate classrooms, school grounds, and public spaces with confidence.
Yet systemic barriers continue to prevent these services from being properly implemented. The report highlights gaps in the system, including inadequate funding, the lack of formally recognised posts for practitioners, limited training programmes, and the absence of national standards for orientation and mobility services.
As a result, many learners with visual impairments are left unsupported and having to navigate environments that were not designed with them in mind.
The report calls for urgent reforms to address these challenges. Key recommendations include creating funded posts for orientation and mobility practitioners in schools, integrating orientation and mobility training into the education curriculum, developing Minimum Norms and Standards for Orientation and Mobility Services, and expanding training programmes to increase the number of qualified practitioners across the country.
Strengthening these services would significantly improve the educational experience of blind and partially sighted learners, helping ensure they can move safely, participate fully in school life, and build the independence needed for life beyond the classroom.
At its core, the report argues that inclusive education cannot exist without mobility and independence. Ensuring access to orientation and mobility training is therefore essential to protecting blind and visually impaired learners’ rights to dignity, safety, and basic education.
You can also access the audio version here.
For media enquiries contact:
Pearl Nicodemus | nicodemus@section27.org.za | 082 298 2636
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