Date Posted: 10/15/2012 5:00:20 AM
Posted By: SimonMburu Membership Level: Silver Total Points: 838
Estimates have revealed that between 180 million to 220 million people are youth living with disabilities worldwide and nearly 80 percent of them are in developing countries like Kenya. According to the 2009 census report, 1.3 million Kenyans have disabilities or are physically challenged in one way or another. For a long time now people living with disabilities have been shunned and isolated due to certain traditional beliefs associated with the cause of these disabilities e.g curses. This has led disabled people to look like a burden in the society and that's the reason why The National Council For People With Disabilities (NCPWD) was formed. The council was formed in December 2004 following the enactment of the persons with Disabilities Act (PWD) 2003. This agency was set up to promote the rights of people with disabilities in Kenya. The council is also responsible for addressing issues of all persons with disabilities in Kenya without discrimination. With the government bringing this issue of people living with disabilities to the lime light, some special schools were established countrywide in order to give disabled people special education. Although the schools are in business they are faced by the following stiff challenges.1. Corruption. The government in collaboration with the international community has been giving funds to boost these schools but due to corruption the funds end up in the pockets of a few people. Recently the minister of Gender, Children and Social Development, Honourable Esther Murugi issued a cheque of Ksh. 102 million to schools, colleges and self-help groups for the disabled. This money is supposed to boost the conditions of these institutions but unfortunately most of it will make a few people more richer.2. Teachers. The other major challenge is the availability of special education teachers. Currently the SEP (Special Education Professionals) group is offering training to willing teacher who volunteer their time and expertise to improve the quality of children with special educational needs in Kenya but the number is not enough.3. Inadequate facilities. Facilities like wheelchairs, glasses and other special learning materials has been a big challenge to these schools as most of them rely on equipment used in non-disabled schools which is not effective. The construction of modern facilities for the disabled is also a challenge to these institutions.4. General negligence. Negligence is very large especially in rural areas where disabled children are isolated and seen as a curse. The institutions in these areas lack moral support from the community and therefore they end up being unsuccessful.
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