By Lydia Ngoolo
Five 2020 candidates from Kathonzweni HGM qualified to join Special Children National Schools. Despite being physically challenged, the students proved that disability is not an inability.
Speaking at his office, the head teacher Mr. Stephen Mutua who oversees the integrated school said Daudi Maluki joined Nalondo National School as Jacinta Mwikali, Kalunde Musyoki and Jeremiah Mutinda joined Joytown in Thika town.
The fifth, Ian Mutinda, who was to join Joyvalley in Bungoma did not go after his parents said distant was a challenge to them.
“The sisters who sponsor the disability unit in our school took charge of Daudi’s school fees. The three who joined Joytown will be catered for by their parents. The fifth one parents are in charge as well though they took him to a different school,” added Mutua.
The school head said he is quite impressed by how the physical challenged performed. He encouraged parents to take children with extreme disability to special schools since integrating them may make them uncomfortable thus affect their performance.
“However there is need to establish special secondary schools in counties since many end at primary due to challenges in distance,” added the school head.
The public school has a population of 400 and the five were among the 58 candidates. Out of the 58, 23 of them scored 300 and above with the top girl scoring 389. They had a mean score of 285.7.
This year, the school has five candidates where one boy has severe case since his hand was amputated completely. The total number of physically challenged is 76 with 30 boarders and 46 day scholars.
Mutua called upon parents to stop living in denial and love the disabled like any other normal child. He urged donors and sponsors to offer any support to them adding that some parents do not care much about the education of the physically challenged.
Makueni branch Kenya National Union Of Teachers (KNUT) People Living With Disability representative Christopher Muli called for support including donation of wheelchairs, food, clothes, diapers, walking frames, clutches and any other.
He also urged for school van donation to ease in transport of the disabled which is a major challenge.
