Children living with disabilities in West Pokot County are being hidden at home and denied their right to education as poverty, stigma and misconceptions continue to prevent families from taking them to school.
Some parents keep children with disabilities at home to herd livestock, while others abandon them after discovering that they require additional support, according to school officials and leaders who spoke during a visit to Keringet School for the Hearing Impaired.
The situation has left many children unable to access education and develop their talents, despite some of those enrolled at Keringet demonstrating exceptional abilities in sports, music and other activities.
Kapenguria MP Samuel Moroto, speaking at Keringet School after distributing food and other necessities to the learners, said Keringet School for the Deaf has been of great importance to deaf children across our region and beyond. Its strong academic performance the school has also excelled in co-curricular activities.
Moroto, who sits on the Parliamentary Committee on Social Protection and the Budget and Appropriations Committee, pledged to lobby for additional resources to improve the welfare and education of children at the institution.
“We do not want to lose even one of these learners. We want all of them to complete their education successfully,” Moroto said.
He said the government and other stakeholders must work together to ensure children with disabilities receive the support required to remain in school.
His remarks came as the Children's Department delivered essential supplies to Keringet School, including 20 mattresses, furniture, food and hygiene materials.
The donation included rice, beans, maize, cooking oil, sanitary towels, bathing materials and other essential supplies for the learners.
Moroto said he had asked the school administration to prepare a comprehensive list of its needs to enable him to push for additional support through the relevant government ministries.
He said he would use his membership in the Social Protection and Budget and Appropriations committees to advocate for resources for vulnerable children.
Keringet School headteacher Charles Kimayo said poverty remained one of the biggest barriers to education for children with disabilities in the county.
He said many parents came from poor backgrounds and struggled to pay for food, clothing, stationery, soap and other basic needs.
Kimayo said some parents also believed that children with disabilities could not contribute to their families, leading them to keep them at home to herd cattle instead of sending them to school.
“Some parents see their children as if they are not useful. But when these children are supported and given opportunities, they can become useful members of society,” Kimayo said.
He said the school often had to follow up with parents to bring children back after they were withdrawn from school.
The headteacher said the situation was particularly worrying because the learners had demonstrated considerable talent.
Two students are currently in Morogoro, Tanzania, participating in sports competitions, while others have represented the school in music competitions.
Kimayo said the school recently performed strongly at national music competitions in Bungoma County, proving that learners with hearing disabilities could compete successfully when given the opportunity.
He recalled the case of a former learner who qualified for an international athletics opportunity but was unable to proceed because of logistical challenges.
“We have children whose talents are hidden. If we continue supporting them instead of keeping them at home, they can go far,” he said.
Kimayo appealed for the establishment of a senior school section at Keringet to allow learners to continue their education within the institution.
Currently, learners completing junior school have to travel to Kakamega, Bungoma, Litein and Kapsabet to pursue further education, a situation he said was difficult for children with disabilities.
He also appealed for a perimeter fence, saying the lack of adequate security exposed learners to danger.
The school also faces a shortage of specialised teachers, with only 13 teachers serving the institution.
Kimayo said the school needed additional classrooms, teachers' houses and other facilities to create a safe and conducive learning environment.
He said the institution had largely depended on the government and well-wishers to develop its infrastructure.
A school representative, Simon Kakuko, appealed to well-wishers to sponsor children from poor families, saying the cost of keeping a child in school was beyond the means of many parents.
He estimated that about Sh15,000 per child annually would help keep learners in school and reduce the number of children being withdrawn.
He also praised Moroto for supporting the school's sports programme by providing transport whenever learners travel for competitions.
The support, he said, had enabled learners to participate in competitions across the country and showcase their talents.
Amina Soita, a parent of a Grade Seven learner, thanked Moroto for supporting the school and helping ease the burden faced by families.
Soita said many parents could not afford the basic requirements needed by their children.
The speakers called for greater collaboration between the national and county governments, parents, churches, development partners and well-wishers to protect the rights of children with disabilities.
They said disability should not be a reason for a child to be hidden, denied education or prevented from pursuing their talents.
