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By:
Graham Kajilwa | |||||||||
| Posted:
Aug,29-2016 16:10:02
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The government has allocated Sh900 million partly to ensure about 100,000 special needs children out of school join the institutions. The allocation this year in grants is to increase the number of children accessing education especially for secondary level, said Education Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang'i. At the same time, a mapping exercise on all regular public institutions is to be carried to find out how the regular schools can incorporate the special needs children in a bid to increase access to education by reducing the distance to the few existing special schools. On Monday the Education CS said his ministry will join hands with the Interior counterpart in carrying the 'flashing out' exercise that will be done by County Education Directors and County Commissioners. "For a country (Kenya) endowed with vast resources it is not fair to have our children still unable to access education yet we have the sufficient capacity," said Matiang'i. Matiang'i said he will roll out the mapping exercise to identify the regular schools which these children can be accommodated. He noted that the country has not been enrolling all children with special needs in primary schools as expected citing 2015's figure of 2,118 candidates which is a dismal increase to 2014's 2,097. "This number would be bigger had we enrolled all legible children but some are held at home by parents and guardians who are "ashamed" to enroll. We must change this trend and embrace inclusive educational practices," said Matiang'i. Matiang'i was speaking during opening of the three day first annual Special School Heads Association of Kenya (SSHAK) conference held in Nairobi. Being the first even conference, the school heads got a chance to vent their discontent with how the sector has been for long neglected. "Our biggest challenge is funding. Which we blame more on the treasury as it delays to disburse the funds. We also think the counties should step in and supplement what the government is doing," said SSAK Chair Arthur Injenga. He however noted that there was need for the government to increase funding especially to the Kenya Institute of Special Education (KISE) increase the average 100 trainee teachers churned out every year. Addressing the heads, Matiang'i said the government will be spending some Sh900 million on special needs education this year. Some Sh455 million will be used as grants to 243 special boarding schools with a top up funds of Sh249 million to 2,080 schools. Already 28 schools have been allocated Sh200 million. "We have also allocated Sh270 million to the KISE to expand the assessment centre to become a national referral centre for children with special needs and disabilities," said Matiang'i. Currently most training, funding and capacity building in special education is being done by global bodies like United Nations Children Fund (Unicef). | |||||||||
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