- A survey has found that 89 per cent of 104 assessed pupils in Lunga-Lunga, Kwale County, cannot read or write.
- G4G Founder Priscah Mongera has partnered with NCPWD to launch an outreach programme identifying and registering children with undiagnosed disabilities in the area.
- NCPWD’s Emily Mwembe has confirmed that beneficiaries are also being assisted to obtain disability certificates, birth certificates, national IDs and SHA registration closer to home.
By Shaban Omar
Concerns have been raised over poor literacy levels among learners in Lunga-Lunga, Kwale County, after a survey found that 89 per cent of 104 pupils assessed could not read and write.
The survey was conducted by Girls for Girls (G4G) in one of six schools under its Kwale Education and Mentorship Action project, and raised concerns over undiagnosed disabilities and learning difficulties among learners. G4G Founder and Director Priscah Mongera said some children had spent years in the same class without making meaningful progress in reading and writing. “We have many children whose reading and writing milestones have not progressed despite repeating the same class for almost three years. This exercise is geared towards helping them,” Mongera said.
She said the findings had prompted G4G, in partnership with the National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), to roll out an outreach programme to identify, assess and register children and parents living with disabilities in the area.
Mongera said assessments would help establish whether the children have intellectual, developmental or other disabilities that could be affecting their ability to learn, adding that early identification would enable parents and schools to understand the specific needs of affected learners and seek appropriate interventions to improve their learning and help them progress through school.
NCPWD Kwale County Director Emily Mwembe said the outreach was aimed at bringing disability assessment and registration services closer to communities, particularly families in remote areas.
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She said beneficiaries were also being assisted to obtain essential documents, including disability certificates, birth certificates and national identity cards, as well as register for the Social Health Authority (SHA). “We are conducting assessments and registering persons with disabilities so that they can obtain disability certificates, SHA registration, birth certificates and national identity cards, among other services,” Mwembe said, adding that proper documentation would make it easier for persons with disabilities to access government assistance and other opportunities.
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For Mwanamisi Mrichire, whose child has cerebral palsy, hearing impairment and physical disability, the outreach has provided an opportunity to have her child assessed and registered closer to home. “It has helped us because it has been hard for many of us to get these services because of the distance and cost,” she said.
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