Parents have been asked to commit themselves in taking disabled children to school.
The call was made by Deputy Principal Nalondo CBM Secondary school Mrs. Agnes Chitala who noted that many disabled children have been denied education because many parents thought the public would laugh at them.
“Those parents who are still hiding disabled children in their houses should stop instead bring them here at Nalondo CBM to get education,” she urged.
She said the school located in Kabuchai Constituency, Bungoma County, offers the best environment for the disabled learners to get education.
In an exclusive interview with KNA, the deputy principal noted that many students were not performing well in school because of their physical challenge which posed a major challenge in their attempts to handle laboratory apparatus.
“Most of our learners are physically challenged whereby some are unable to manipulate laboratory apparatus,” she said.
Mrs. Chitala called on Bungoma county government through the Ministry of Education to intervene and provide Covid-19 protective gears to schools with disabled learners to cushion them against contracting Covid-19.
“Many of our students are vulnerable, some come from humble backgrounds where both parents have underlying conditions so you find that most of them have been neglected,” she noted.
She said that the school do not have enough water and called on the government to chip in and supply piped water to avert possible Covid-19 infections.
“At the moment, schools need to have enough water for hand washing,” she said, adding that the school has tried its best in erecting some hand washing stations within the school to make sure that teachers, learners and the support staff regularly wash their hands.
Mrs. Chitala added that the school has set aside an isolation room which would help in holding anybody who may be suspected to have contacted the novel Covid-19.
She lauded the government for putting up good infrastructures in school which has ensured social distancing.
The deputy principal also pointed out that the school is performing very well, adding that six students gained direct entry to University.
“This week, our best performing candidates will be joining University for their tertiary education. I want to assure all disabled children that disability is not inability,” she said.
She called on well-wishers, the government and other Non-governmental Organization, NGO to fully support learners with disability.
By Douglas Mudambo
