The government has injected half a million shillings to bolster education amongst hundreds of learners with special needs in Voi Constituency.
Voi’s National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) awarded the bursaries to 76 learners in Voi Primary Special Unit and 69 Mwanyambo Special School for The Deaf.
Speaking at Voi Primary School, Voi MP Jones Mlolwa said that the government was keen on supporting special education to ensure all learners had access to quality education.
He further disclosed that more money would be allocated to construct classrooms to help manage the swelling numbers of learners with special needs in various institution.
“We will continue to support education for such learners and ensure they get quality education. This is in line with our commitment to have all children from this region get education,” he said.
The special unit at Voi Primary was issued with a cheque worth Sh 228,000 while Mwanyambo Primary Special School for the Deaf Sh 207,000. Each of the 145 pupils from the two institutions will get Sh 3,000.
The MP further asked parents with children with special needs not to hide them for fear of stigmatization. He stated that it was a crime to deny such children the right to education and warned of severe consequences to any parent who hid their children.
“The government wants all children to get education. Any parent who keeps a child with special needs away from school will be firmly dealt with,” he said.
The event was attended by senior government officials led by Voi Deputy County Commissioner Daniel Nduti and local officials from the education office.
At Mwanyambo Special School for the Deaf, the MP NG-CDF would construct additional classrooms and other facilities including kitchen and water tanks to support the institution.
He hailed the school for being a fully registered institution that had enabled it to receive assistance from other government agencies like the National Council for Person with Disabilities.
“The registration is a major step of promoting learners who are hearing impaired in the region,” he said.
Mr Elias Mberi, head of parents’ association in the county, said it was encouraging that the benefits in the education sector were being felt even amongst learners with special needs. He added that such attention was motivating the learners to work harder and achieve big.
He further asked parents to familiarize themselves with the special schools and unit in the county to facilitate easier placement of children living with disabilities to their appropriate classes.
“We have special units for the deaf and for children with other challenges like cerebral palsy. Parents need to know about them because they are here to serve the region,” he said.
By Wagema Mwangi
