The Government has endeavored to ensure that education is more accessible to all children irrespective of their intellectual and physical disabilities.
Historically, many of the children with intellectual disabilities have been excluded from the general education system contrary to the government’s desire to provide free and compulsory education to all.
In West Pokot County, the national government and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) have collaborated to identify the challenges that bar children with disabilities from attending school and how these drawbacks can be addressed to ensure that all children with disabilities access basic education without discrimination.
The Special Olympics Kenya (SOK), an NGO and a registered sports federation, have launched a programme called Operation-Come-To-School, dubbed “Watoto Twende Shule Project,” to support inclusive education for learners with disabilities in West Pokot County.
Speaking during the launch of the programme at Horizon Resort in Kapenguria Town, the Special Olympics Kenya Project Manager Esther Muchiri said that the Organisation is targeting 500 children with disabilities among them those who have dropped out of school, those yet to join school despite reaching the school-going age and those at risk of dropping out of school in the region.
Ms. Muchuri noted that the programme aims at enhancing school enrollment and retention for children living with disabilities not only in West Pokot County but also found in ten other counties such as Kilifi, Nairobi, Bungoma, Marsabit, Garissa, Narok, Kajiado, Samburu, Turkana, and Isiolo.
She said that across the country, the program aims to support 5,000 out-of-school children with disabilities between the ages of six and 18 years, and reiterated that figure might even increase with time.
“The project will be implemented in four areas in West Pokot including is Kacheliba, Pokot North, West Pokot and Pokot Central sub counties. Children with intellectual disabilities, after going to school through the ‘Watoto Twende Shule Project’ will have opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in sharing gifts, skills, and friendship with families, athletes and the community,” clarified the project manager.
According to Ms. Muchiri, the programme creates opportunities that address the injustices, isolation, intolerance, and inactivity faced by individuals with intellectual disabilities and their families.
Andrew Akoule, who advocates for persons living with disabilities, reiterated that the programme gives a good platform to increase literacy levels for children with disabilities across the county.
Akoule narrated how many children living with disabilities in the county have been denied access to education due to unsuitable transportation and infrastructure, a dearth of quality learning materials, inadequate trained teachers as well as poor support from home.
West Pokot County Commissioner (CC) Apollo Okello affirmed that the programme will address the challenges the children with disabilities have faced and how all children living with disabilities will access education without discrimination.
“The Special Olympics Kenya programme will help to bridge the literacy gap among all children. I have also noted that the programme gives an equal opportunity to children with intellectual disabilities to have access to education,” said Okello.
County Education Director Simon Wamai lauded the programme reiterating that organisation plays a critical role in complementing the government’s efforts to promote access to education for all children as stipulated in the constitution.
Echoing the sentiments made by the participants, West Pokot Director for the National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) stated that the government is supporting the education of children with disabilities through scholarships urging parents of children with disabilities to register them with the government for aid.
By Richard Muhambe and Anthony Melly
