Stakeholders have been urged to establish special schools for children with developmental disabilities at the constituency level to enable them to access their right to basic education.
The Founder of Jonathan Ray of Hope, a Migori Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) Neurodiversity centre for children with autism, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, delayed developmental milestones, down syndrome and other related developmental disabilities Ms. Caroline Kisuge noted that education was a right for any Kenyan child, regardless of her mental status in society.
Kisuge, who celebrated Valentine’s Day with the children from the Rongo-based centre, urged the national and county governments and other stakeholders to ensure that each county has a public special school to give hope to parents who are struggling to educate children with developmental disabilities.
Kisuge pointed out that children with developmental disabilities have a lot of challenges in terms of their cognitive development in accessing their basic right to education because of lack of enough special schools.
She called upon the establishment of special education centres to cater for the learning stages for children with developmental disorders, right from the foundation level, intermediate, vocational level, and sheltered workshop.
The official also added that it was only through access to education that the special skills and talents of children with developmental disabilities can be mentored, sharpened, and explored.
“Let us empower educationally persons with developmental disabilities to enable them to acquire the necessary skills to become independent to eradicate the begging nature that the person with developmental disorders subjects the citizens to,” elaborated Kisuge.
Maureen Auma, the Chair of the National Government-Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF)-Rongo Constituency, said that they were committed to building a special school in Rongo Sub County for children with developmental disabilities.
She affirmed that the institution will incorporate all the learning stages to accommodate children with various developmental disorders so as not to leave any child behind.
Migori County Coordinator for the National Council for Persons with Disability, Roselyn Ayuke, noted that raising a child with developmental disability was one of the biggest challenges in the life of a parent.
“I am a person living with disability, and I saw how my parents struggled to raise me to ensure that I get the necessary education I required,” disclosed Ayuke.
The official called upon members of the Migori community to embrace, encourage, create awareness, and assist parents who have children with developmental disabilities.
Rehema Jones, a parent with a child living with developmental disability, stressed the importance of creating an awareness programme at the village level to enable parents to access grants, bursaries, and health services for their young ones.
Rehema also emphasised the importance of the community in helping parents with children who have disabilities feel part of society to help reduce stigmatisation and break social barriers.
By Geoffrey Makokha
