Trans Nzoia county Disability family joined the world to celebrate World Down Syndrome at Kitale National Museum, which is marked on March 21.
Under the theme ‘We are calling on governments to improve our support systems’, parents with children diagnosed with the disease called on government to improve the education system for their children, as the normal schools hardly understands their condition.
Nancy Asamba, a mother to a child who is suffering from Down syndrome, said the government should focus in building schools specifically for Down syndrome, as normal schools often fail to understand the slow learning ability of the children.
“I would like the government to build schools for our children, as they need people who can understand them well. They really need their own children to grow and be educated like other children in schools. The government should also help us access speech therapy. When they go to normal schools they are ignored and some schools often turn them down as they are slow,” she pleaded.
Silvanus Makori, echoed the calls by Asamba, stated owing to their slow learning and forgetful nature, it requires patience to handle them as they are good in other activities including art and engaging activities, when cared for.
“They have a forgetful nature, and sometimes referred to as academic dwarfs, if not well understood by the teachers, they coordinate things very slowly, and this condition is not well known in Kenya, we advocating for them to be understood. However, in other areas if well cared they can participate in art and drama,” he stated.
He further said as parents, their children have schools but no one to teach them, pleading on teachers employer Teacher Service Commission to disburse teachers in the available schools.
Educational Disability Officer acknowledged the shortage of teachers to disability schools, despite some sub-counties having built schools for people living with disabilities, with five officers supporting disability needs.
“We have two schools in Endebess, Trans Nzoia East has none, Saboti has three. At the moment, children with Down syndrome are placed in the same class with children mental disability, we have Kitale School and Masinde Muliro, where they have their specified classes, with five new teachers handling this children, parents should bring their children to school as we wait for TSC to post more teachers,” he stated.
He called upon MP for Saboti Caleb Amisi, to support the disability Family, by building ECDE classrooms to the newly built Kitale School Special School to accommodate children with Down syndrome.
Gracing the walk, Trans Nzoia West Deputy County Commissioner Emma Kibara, urged parents to bring out children identified with the condition to benefit from the scholarships, Inua Jamii program, free medication and guidance on how to raise such children.
“We have very few registered children with Down syndrome; parents should register with NCPWD, especially in the rural settlements, to benefit from Inua Jamii funds, scholarship opportunities and medication. Bring them out,” she urged.
The parents further called out leaders of the disability in the county to allow funds allocated to the children stream to the affected families. Asamba further urged the society to avoid discriminating children with Down syndrome.
Leave a comment