BY Judy Too
The National Fund for The Disabled of Kenya (NFDK) has commissioned Sh2.9 million classrooms for autistic children at the Sosiani autistic special unit in Eldoret.
The chairperson of the NFDK board of trustees Mrs Kristina Pratt-Kenyatta in her speech read by the NFDK Trustee, Dr Mike Kiswili said that there is low enrolment of learners in Kenya attributed to increased cost of schooling owing to special learning materials needed for the learners, transport cost and the prohibitive cost of assistive technology that may limit their access to school.
“Inadequate and inaccessible physical infrastructure, teaching and learning materials, facilities appropriate for Special Needs Education (SNE) learners, and inadequate skilled manpower are big hurdles that keep the children out of school,” she added.
“Our goal as a fund therefore is to ensure children with disabilities are placed in institutions of learning complete with facilities that adhere to the universal design principle of accessibility, usability, and inclusion as well as reasonable accommodation,” said Pratt.
She said that they have implemented 199 projects across the country with flagship projects in every county with Sossiani being the fifth project to be handed over in Uasin Gishu County.
Others are Seiyo Primary Special Unit, Eldoret School for the hearing impaired, Baharini Primary Special Unit, and Chepkoiya Autistic Unit which shall be commissioned.
“We shall continue working with the Sosiani special unit and supporting your programmes through small grants programmes to allow our children with autism to achieve the best and participate equally with their peers in society,” she noted.
She commended the teachers, and teacher aides for ensuring that learners at the Sossiani unit are well taken care of and achieve skills relevant for their daily living.
The Vice Chairman NFDK Peter Nyakiamo said they were glad that the work was well done and the school administration cooperated with the Clerk of Works for the project to be a reality.
He noted that NFDK engages with various stakeholders in raising awareness on disability issues with a view to bringing changes in legislation and shaping public perception of disability.
On his part, an NFDK Trustee Dr. Mike Kiswili urged institutions dealing with children with disabilities to apply for the funds and those that receive funds to use it carefully so as to help the NFDK board of trustees to fund more projects.
He noted that some of the facilities being undertaken by the Fund included dormitories, ablution blocks, classrooms, and kitchens among others.
He added that the commissioning of the classrooms by NFDK was a great milestone for learners with special needs at the Sosiani autistic special unit in Eldoret.
He urged parents with children with autism not to hide them for they were entitled to children’s rights like any other children and the government has taken care of their schooling through the establishment of special schools.