BY PETER OTUORO
The Nakuru County government has donated over 500 wheel chairs among other devices for people living with disability to school going children in the region.
County Disability Service officer Michael Kaburu said the county government was committed to ensuring that all disabled children get access to education, which is a basic right.
“We have distributed 500 supporting devices like wheel chairs to other children who are disables to enable them get to school on time and get, said Kaburu.
The officer said the National Council of People Living With Disability have been cooperating with the Ministry of Education to ensure all structures in schools like classrooms, laboratories, libraries and offices are accessible to people with disabilities.
“Children and teachers who are living with disability cannot use stayers but rumps; we have been cooperating with the Ministry of Education to ensure all buildings in schools and learning centres are easily accessible to them,” said Kaburu.
Kaburu thanked some of the schools which have facilities that guarantee access to disabled children and teachers. He urged all schools and learning institutions to ensure buildings and premises within the school compound, including latrines serve disables children.
“If a school have disable children and he cannot access even a school toilet, that is serious’, said Kaburu.
Kaburu said disable children are perfect human being who deserve respect and accommodations for them to be perfect in learning and co-curricular activities.
He urge Teachers Service Commission to increase number of teachers training students with disability because they need special attention and that can only be done by a well-trained teacher who have been train on handling disability children.
“Students who do not hear well should be put, in front of classroom to enable them get what their teachers is teaching”, said Kaburu.
He said that in some schools one special train teachers teaches 40 to 60 students because of the shortage of teachers who can handle children with disability.
Kaburu told area parents to visit the National Council of People with Disability offices in 11 sub-counties of Nakuru County to get assistance on problems afflicting disabled children.
“We provide various services as NCPLWD and we request parents to visit our offices to get information that can enable their children live like others,” said Kaburu.
The county official, who was speaking to Education News in his office, urged parents to apply for various scholarships and bursaries to give their disadvantaged children a chance to get an education.
“The NCPLWD have scholarships and bursaries from our government and partners like Kenya Pipeline Company, Faulu, and Presidential bursaries; yet there is a slot for secondary school children with disability,” said Kaburu.
NCPLWD’s Nakuru County offices are found at Rift Valley Regional headquarters in Nakuru City, while sub county offices are found in all 11 social service offices in Molo, Njoro, Subukia, Nakuru East, Nakuru West, Kuresoi South, Kuresoi North, Bahati, Gilgil, Naivasha and Rongai.
