Basic Education of Children with Disabilities in Kenya

Results achieved as of the end of the project (March 2013) include: (i) assessing 677 children with disabilities and referring them to hospital therapy and/or social services and enrolling 395 of these children in school; (ii) six schools in the Kibera and Dandora slums were modified to better accommodate children with physical disabilities; (iii) 2 800 parents teachers students and school staff were sensitized on inclusive education philosophy and practice; (iv) 352 community leaders and members attended training and information sessions on inclusive education practices; (v) 102 assistive devices (such as hearing aids) were purchased and distributed to children with disabilities and their families; (vi) a sub-committee was formed in each of the six pilot schools to ensure inclusive education practices in the schools; (vii) two resource centers were established for students teachers and families to access resource materials information and interaction in an inclusive environment (and the performance indicators show a 100% achieved in use and management of the resources); (viii) 2 800 people attended public awareness forums on gender and disability; and (ix) the ability of organizations such as Nairobi Family Support Service and Deaf Empowerment Kenya to support inclusive education activities was strengthened. These results are contributing to improving access to basic education for children with disabilities in the Kibera and Dandora slums and increasing awareness of the importance of inclusive education.