By Michael Oduor
Taita Taveta County is one of the biggest beneficiaries of government special learners’ support programme through the National Fund for Disabled of Kenya (NFDK) with the fund spending over Ksh. 7 million in setting up of classrooms, dormitories and dining halls for Special Needs Education (SNE) institutions in the 2022/2023 financial year.
NFDK commissioned two classrooms at Voi Special School constructed at a cost of Ksh 2.6 million, a dining hall worth Ksh 2.6 million at Mwanyambo School for the Deaf and Ksh 2.6 twin dormitory for Maktau Special Unit.
Speaking in Voi Special School during the commissioning of the two classrooms, the Vice Chair of NFDK, Mr. Peter Nyakiamo, maintained that the government remains fully committed to supporting all efforts to make learners with special needs get the best of education through funding necessary infrastructural programs and procuring learning items for special schools.
He noted that NFDK spends hundreds of millions each year on projects to support learning for pupils and students with various challenges.
While encouraging parents with special needs children to take them to schools where they can gain skills, Mr. Nyakiamo reiterated that NFDK is committed to supporting special learners in the county and the country at large.
“We remain committed to supporting learning and other programs to help learners with special needs and therefore, we are encouraging parents to take their children to these schools and give them a chance to live like any other child,” he said.
His sentiments were echoed by Retired Major Marsden Madoka, Dr. Mike Kiswili who is the fund’s financial manager and NFDK Ag. Chief Executive Officer Anthony Muli who urged the parents to stop hiding their disabled children at home.
On her part, Fatuma Kadzo, the Disability Services Officer in Taita Taveta County said that such support empowers learners with special needs, noting that some parents were still reluctant in taking their special children to school for the fear that they might find it difficult to mingle with other learners who have no disability.
Ms. Kadzo reiterated that special learners need dormitories to ensure they are kept safe and are not exposed to exploitation like sexual harassment and bullying among other negative situations.
“We are grateful to the NFDK for the support they have given especially by constructing these facilities for our children. They will feel encouraged to work hard and realize their potential,” she said.
According to her, Mwanyambo School for the Deaf in Voi Sub-county has 80 learners while the Voi Special Unit has 79 learners out of which only 28 are boarders.
The Voi Unit handles learners with intellectual disabilities, mental disabilities, cerebral palsy, and autism.
Taveta Sub-county has two special schools and one unit with Timbila Special School for the mentally challenged having an enrolment of 116 learners. Taveta Special School has 29 learners while the Mahoo special unit for the physically disabled has eight learners.
In Mwatate sub-county, Mwatate special unit has an enrollment of 32 learners while Khungu Special Unit for the mentally handicapped has 20 learners.
However, with the increased enrollment in the schools, Ms. Kadzo noted that the sub sector needs more support in terms of facilities, especially dormitories to accommodate the learners and keep them in a safe environment.
NDFK vice chair Nyakiamo pledged to offer more support to the region and urged the parents and other stakeholders to be at the forefront in supporting them.
“We will keep supporting these children as much as we can. As parents and the stakeholders in the county, let’s be in the forefront in supporting the sector and make it a success,” he added.
NDFK has also funded the construction of a 36-bed twin dormitory block for the Taveta special unit for the deaf at a cost of Ksh. 2.4 million.
