The new curriculum may not cater well for the needs of learners with disabilities.
In many public schools in Mwingi, Kitui County, there is poor infrastructure, inadequate learning materials, shortage of teachers, and lack of market for items made by learners.
Nuu Special School for learners with mental disabilities is one example. The institution is located one kilometre from Nuu town, in Mwingi East subcounty.
It was started in 1988 as a small unit under Nuu Primary School with 12 learners. The institution now has 175 pupils and 12 teachers.
It offers courses to learners with different mental disorders including brain damage and autism.
School Principal Esther Karanja said learners with autism are taught survival skills.
Learners with other minor mental and physical disorders are offered courses in three stages – primary level 1, 2 and 3, pre-vocational training and vocational training.
“Vocational training is the highest level of learning in the school. Learners are equipped with life survival skills which include beadwork and jewellery making, carpentry, masonry and tailoring and embroidery courses,” Karanja said.
Eventually, learners are equipped with basic entrepreneurial skills to enable them to manage their businesses after leaving school.
However, the institution does not have enough training materials such as sewing and welding machines, among others. And even after students make items with the available equipment, there is no ready market for the items.
The school has been forced to pile many items in the store, solely depending on the nearby Nuu market.
Transport is also another challenge facing students and parents since they have to trek for kilometres to and from the facility. This has forced many parents to keep their children in school even during holidays.
Principal Karanja said the school does not have adequate water. The water supplied to the school from the public pipeline is always rationed.
Despite having to overcome all these challenges, the school still boasts of great achievements.
Most learners who went through the facility have secured jobs, some venturing into entrepreneurship and others being absorbed by the school to offer their services in their areas of competence.
In Mwingi North subcounty, there are two special schools – Kaundu and Ngaaie Special School for the mentally handicapped.
Kaundu Special School in Mumoni subcounty started in 2003 and currently has 80 learners.
Justina Parailla, Special Needs Officer, Mwingi North, said there are only two operational special school in the vast area. She urged the government to build more special schools.
She said Mwingi North subcounty has more than 1,000 disabled children who are still at home.
“We urge the national government to help us mobilise parents with disabled children to avail them for assessment in order for them to benefit from government through National Funds for the Disabled of Kenya among other initiatives,” Parailla said.
The children officer also urged parents to be attending public barazas with such children in order for them to be assessed.
