HUMANSDORP – The Kouga region has welcomed its first registered special needs school, with Metanoia Elim School, an independent and private school, opening its doors in Humansdorp to learners with specialised educational needs.
Darné Jonker, campus owner and director, said that Metanoia Elim School is the first private special needs school in the Kouga region that has been registered with the Department of Education.
She said that while there are many schools in Kouga, there is a growing need for registered special needs schools to cater for those who require alternative schooling options.
The Metanoia organisation was founded by Dr Lyn Thijsse, an Educational Psychologist from the United Kingdom, who believes that “at the core of all decisions made within Metanoia Schools are each child’s needs and heart, their place within their family and community, and the right to an education that is meaningful to them”.
The journey of Metanoia Schools in the Eastern Cape began with Yolande Strydom, a mother of two special-needs children who identified the need for quality, meaningful education for learners with neurodevelopmental disorders and learning barriers, unable to access mainstream education.
The first campus for the Eastern Cape was established in Gqeberha in 2019 and has since expanded alongside the communities’ needs in both the Eastern and Western Cape.
The newest campus opened in Humansdorp, Kouga.
The school operates through a comprehensive three-phase development strategy.
Phase One focuses on the Pre-Primary and Primary School for learners aged four years and above.
This phase provides specialised support within small classroom settings of fewer than eight learners, offering both Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement adapted for learners with Special Educational Needs (CAPS SEN) and Differentiated Curriculum for Special Needs Pupils South Africa (DCAPS), which provides learners with more time to reach their academic milestones.
“We have small classrooms, and we will not compromise on our classroom sizes,” said Jonker.
“This allows us to stay true to the Metanoia model with an individualised approach that practices target-specific goals in tailored environments for learning, allowing each child a chance to reach their full potential.”
For learners aged 14 and above, phase two focuses on a School of Skills that presents both the DCAPS curriculum and vocational skills to help learners progress towards personal learning and career aims.
The vision extends to Phase Three, which plans to establish assisted living housing projects.
“We want to establish Phase Three at a later stage, which will be assisted living for learners aged 18 years and above, where young adults can easily access their skills industry and workforce opportunities whilst still having that extra physical and emotional support needed to lead completely fulfilled lives. It is important for us to have a long-term plan and a future for our learners, one that empowers them to contribute positively to their community and hold a place in our society as adults,” said Jonker.
She further said that each child has an individual curriculum which caters for their needs and learning style.
Jonker said that Metanoia Schools also design their own books and resources, which are specifically tailored to each child’s needs.
Alongside the academic curriculum, the school has also implemented an Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) programme which introduces tools and strategies to help support children with developmental delays, disabilities or anyone in need of alternative methods to express themselves.
According to Jonker, one of the methods includes sign language, ensuring that communication is accessible because all children deserve to be heard.
The school currently serves 24 learners registered for 2026 from across the region, including learners from Patensie, Jeffreys Bay, Humansdorp, and St Francis Bay.
Jonker said that the idea to establish Metanoia in the Kouga area to cater for growing demand gained momentum after a parent from Jeffreys Bay contacted the organisation and helped open a branch in the region.
Centre manager and campus director, Cindy Boshoff, who has personal experience as a mother with an autistic son, understands the challenges families face.
She said that her passion for the school is a result of seeing “first-hand” the difference the school has made since her son started at the school.
“Everything changes for a parent when their child is first diagnosed with special needs, and it can be a big shock for many parents. Sadly, there is not a lot of support for special needs children in the Eastern Cape, and some kids experience a lot of rejection trying to find the right school,” said Boshoff.
“It is also great to see how the Metanoia Schools have grown and developed with the learners.”
As the school continues to settle in Kouga, Jonker said that they seek corporate partnerships to support their mission through the expansion of the school’s skills facilities, inviting learners to visit local industries and creating opportunities for children to learn about the working world aligned with their school of skills courses.
“Together, we can create an inclusive community that our children deserve,” said Jonker.
Given the reality that many parents face with children unable to cope in mainstream school environments, resulting in many parents homeschooling their children, Metanoia Elim School offers hope.
“There is a school where competence is assumed, potential is recognised, and every child is given the chance to truly thrive,” said Jonker.
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