A man with Down syndrome who has been attending school for more than a decade has finally “matriculated”.
Jeffrey “Balla” Manuel, 32, was capped at Steenberg High School on Friday with his peers.
His foster mom Freda Benjamin says Balla has been going to school for years, arriving every day with his heavy school bag packed with books and stationery.
The 73-year-old ouma says he is always eager to learn despite being unable to read or speak properly.
“Balla has been living with me since the age of four. He attended primary school but unfortunately couldn’t attend any longer because of his condition,” Freda said.
“This didn’t stop him though, he would walk from primary school to primary school and eventually ended up at Steenberg High where he sat in on every lesson.
“He just has that ability to kruip into people’s hearts.”
She adds that Balla was so beloved that teachers started fetching him at home to come to school.
“They would tell me how he inspires learners to always do and be better, all because of his positive attitude towards life,” Freda added.
However, Balla’s lengthy school career came to a bitter-sweet end this year as he had moved in with a family member who lives far from Steenberg.
The school then decided to invite him to their valedictory as well as the matric ball which is taking place later this year.
Judy De Stadler, the acting principal and Balla’s English teacher, says everyone welcomed Balla with open arms into their classes and even kept a space open for him.
“Despite his challenging circumstances, the community embraced Jeffrey and made him feel at home. Additionally, we realised the potential danger of him wandering around without being at a school,” she said.
De Stadler describes Balla as a dedicated learner who was always punctual.
“He was a quiet learner who diligently wrote down work from the board and often assisted teachers by handing out notes or textbooks.
“His peers looked up to him as a role model and would even beg him to visit their classes.
“Before leaving a class, Jeffrey always made sure to ask if there was homework,” the principal said.
She fondly added: “Jeffrey, who became our ‘mascot’, brought joy to our sporting events with his love for dancing and his ability to entertain both learners and staff.
“While we may not have been able to teach him, he taught us invaluable lessons.
“He taught us to love unconditionally, to share, to appreciate our education, to embrace diversity, and to enjoy life to the fullest.
“Jeffrey, with his acute sense of right or wrong, promptly reprimanded any misbehaving learner. The staff consistently marvelled at the learners’ attentive response to Jeffrey.”
The palie says it was the school’s honour to include Balla in this year’s valedictory ceremony.
“This award was given to acknowledge his dedication to attending our school and his resilience in overcoming difficult circumstances,” she added .
tracy-lynn.ruiters@inl.co.za