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| Learners of Nuu School for the mentally challenged in their school. PHOTO| BONIFACE MWANIKI |
BY
BONIFACE MWANIKI
As
education stakeholders’ continue with the conversation on how to improve
standards of education in the country – the focus has shifted to the Competency
Based Curriculum (CBC) which is yet to gain momentum as it seeks to replace the
two decade old 8-4-4 curriculum with a 2-6-3-3 system of education which unlike
the former won’t be examination-oriented.
But
even as the ministry of education officials led by Minister Prof George Magoha
continue to campaign for the CBC which also recently received a huge backing from
President Uhuru Kenyatta – the impact of government’s investment on the
learners with various disabilities is too minute to be felt.
One
such school is Nuu Special School for the Mentally Challenged. The elementary
education facility is located in the remote area of Mwingi East Sub- County
approximately 34 Kilometers southwards off Mwingi-Garissa
highway from Nguni market.
The
school based at the foot of the mystical springs-rich Nuu Hills opened its
doors 30 years ago with a meager enrollment of twelve pupils. According to the principal Esther Karanja it
started in 1988 as a unit under Nuu Primary school before later relocating to
the present location about a kilometre before getting to Nuu Market. The
pioneers of the institution were Catholic nuns of the Sisters of Mercy
convention who spearheaded it from its formative stages before the government
took over.
The
facility which has since attained autonomy has been offering a variety of
courses to learners with different mental disorders like brain damage and
autism spectrum disorders and presently boasts of a population of 175 learners.
With
a teaching workforce of twelve Teachers Service Commission (TSC) employed
tutors and a similar number of subordinate personnel remunerated by the
education ministry – the school has done considerably a lot in instituting a
number of important skills and knowledge to the disabled children.
“Most
of them (learners) who have gone through our institution have been able to
secure different jobs out there with some venturing into entrepreneurship while
we have absorbed others in the school to offer services in their areas of
competence” Ms Karanja says.
The
headteacher says the institution offers different courses to learners with
various mental disorders such as basic education and survival skills to learners
with autism. On the other hand the young trainees with minor mental and
physical disorders are offered courses in three stages – primary level (1, 2
and 3), pre-vocational training and vocational training.
“Vocational training is the highest level of
learning in the school whereby learners are equipped with life survival skills
ranging from; beadwork & jewelry making, carpentry and masonry to tailoring
and broidery”, she explains.
She
adds that eventually, the learners are equipped with basic entrepreneurial
skills to enable them manage their businesses after they step out of the school.
However,
the school boss confesses that the journey of the school has not been without challenges
which at times have affected the learners’ studies. Some of the notable challenges
include inadequate training equipment such as sewing and welding machines among
other learning materials.
The
principal noted that the school attracted learners from the vicinity while
others come from far and wide, as it is the only one of its kind in the entire
vast Mwingi region. Due to this many parents opt to keep their children in
school even during holidays as the institution doesn’t have commuter services.
Besides, the transport challenge has been a bother to the parents from around
the school who have had no option but to walk everyday to and from the facility
in a bid to ensure their disabled children access the much needed education.
The
school also has been facing a serious water scarcity problem as it only receives
the commodity from a public water pipeline which has proved to be insufficient
due to rationing.
Above
all, even after the learners using their acquired skills to make some products,
getting a ready market for them has been a tall order for the school. The only place available to showcase them has
been the nearby Nuu Market which is not always forthcoming as it operates once
in a week.
MWINGI TIMES for timely and authoritative news.
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