Kenya Institute of Special Education (KISE) held its fourth conference in Kasarani, with the theme, “Parental Empowerment and Engagement in Nurturing Potential of Children with Disabilities.”
The two-day event has brought together education shareholders, parents, delegates, and children with disabilities. The 2022 event is seeking to focus on all issues involving special needs education.
Principal Secretary, State Department of Early Learning and Basic Education, Doctor Julius Jwan, launched the conference as he stepped in for Honorable Ezekiel Machogu Ombaki, the CS for Education.
Dr. Jwan impressively articulated CS Machogu’s speech citing the government’s plan in ensuring that it is impacting the education of children with special needs as well as supporting their parents.
KISE was founded in 1986 and since its establishment, it has been a centre of excellence through teaching sign language and Special Needs Education. The new CBC programme will ensure that Special Needs Education is taught as a compulsory course.
According to CS Machogu, the government called for functional assessment of children with disabilities.
He also mentioned that the top-up funding sent to special needs schools will be sent to KISE directly to allow it to deliver assistive devices to schools and curb mismanagement of the finances.
KISE will also be expected to provide the government with an up to date database of learners with disabilities. This will ease the assessment and also let the government know where to chip in, in terms of assistance.
The ministry will continue to support Special Needs Education to ensure that there is early identification, intervention and placement of PWD learners for Special Needs Education.
The chair of the KISE council, Habat Sheikh Abdi emphasized the dire need of making Special Needs Education a priority in the country.
Abdi urged every stakeholder to keep in touch with the latest developments in Special Needs Education. He expressed his gratitude to the ministry for taking bold steps in ensuring integration.
Another keynote speaker of the KISE conference 2022, was Sylvia Moraa Mochabo, Miss Africa Elite 2020 – 2022 and a mom of two special needs children.
She is also the founder of Andy Speaks 4 Special Needs Persons. One of her sons Andrew, is autistic and the other, Bradley, has ADHD.
Mochabo urged society to be understanding and accommodative to parents with special needs children. She also pleaded with parents not to give up on raising their children.
She challenged media houses to be supportive and air stories of PWDs without any bias. She called for the ministry of health to make drugs affordable for PWDs and also be considerate in insurance covers for PWDs.
She also mentioned the need to increase the number of special needs schools, ECD centres, secondary schools and TVET to accommodate all the special needs children.
BY CHRISTINE OMONDI