KENYA: Predicaments of a Special School

Many learned friends believe that disability is not inability. Though the 'motto' demonstrates the truth, the motto at Joyland Special School for the Physically Handicapped in Kenya is quite different. They added value to the academic achievements and converted it to be education relieves disability. However, Joyland is not only a learning institution for the physically impaired but also a rehabilitation centre. Children with complicated deformations that could be helped are accepted, taken to Kijabe for orthopaedic surgery to make them live a better life. Started in 1974 by the Salvation Army, the learning centre has 22 teaching staffs all employed and deployed by the Teachers Service Commission TSC. A five minutes drive from Nakumatt City behind -Kisumu Polytechnic, unveils more hidden truth that has never seen the light. A clear sign post at the main entrance ‘Joyland Special School for the Physically Handicapped’ welcomes you to the home for sympathetically looking children with difficulties in speaking, pronouncing, walking and understanding. Well built administrative block, several classes, dormitories with fire escape routes, a gymnasium, workshops, a swimming pool for hydrotherapy, spacious play ground put on a demanding land for more structures shows the administrative commitment towards comforting the needy children. But a short stroll to the boarding facility, dry taps and sinks lowered to the ground level for easy accessibility by the disabled translated that the school for children with special needs is neglected when they needed help most. Their water was disconnected a decade ago by KIWASCO over accumulated bills in millions of shillings. Bill In an orthodox revelation, the bill was waived by Kisumu East MP Shakeel Shabbir when he was the Kisumu Town Mayor. But when Kiwasco was mandated with the management of sewages and water services, it backlogged the unpaid debt on records that even existed before on grounds that would help them pay salaries. Several attempts by the school principal John Odhiambo Odera to write protest letters to the Provincial Director of Education PDE-Nyanza, District Education Officer DEO and the Provincial Commissioner PC to intervene on the controversial waived water bills have always proved futile forcing their taps to remain dry for ages. Although water from the taps turned history to the children and staff at Joyland, the Salvation Army dug a borehole in the compound as an alternative to alleviate the scarcity of the precious commodity. Even the standard of cleanliness maintained in their toilets, dormitories, and kitchen and staff quarters is evident towards Odera’s cleanliness legacy that lives. The school is well designed to cater for special needy children. Unlike in normal schools where teachers have one chore, things are quite different here. A teacher plays several roles apart from his black board and lecturing career. He is the nurse, conductor, a physiotherapist and an instructor. The principal talks about his love for the job and confesses he never knew it could make him climb ladders to become the institute’s principal. Odera’s passion for needy children started developing slowly in 1987 and forced him quit normal teachings in Nyakach and was among the first 15 Diploma students to be admitted at the Kenya Institute of Special Education KISE in 1987. He furthered his studies to Denmark and returned home to be deployed at Joyland. According to Odera, Joyland was the only school of its kind. It served Rift Valley, Nyanza and Western Provinces. Then others were established in Nyeri and Mombasa to handle special needy children in Central and Coastal regions. It follows a normal curriculum and had a capacity of 210 pupils when it started. They first admitted most of polio children but thanks to the Health Ministry for eradicating the dangerous menace. They now admit children with much complicated deformation, disabilities and disorders. Children with Brito borns, epileptics, hydrocelephas, polio, amputees and micro cephalas without forgetting those with difficulties in understanding and learning disabilities. New revelations emerged that normal people with learning disabilities are considered as disabled. The institution’s population currently stands at 235 pupils (135 boys, 97 girls). In 2002, they initiated an inclusive education IE in a new move to mix up normal children with the special children. This was to make those with special needs feel in the society and not segregated or quarantined. But before they are admitted, pupils have to be counselled properly. The normal curriculum here comes with a difference for example in one pre-vocational class, they undergo metal work, tailoring, dressmaking etc. A move to Petor class almost dribbled our tears for seeing drulling disorders for the first time in life. Children are taken for epidicae in hospitals, thanks to APDK (Association for the Physically Disabled of Kenya) for mostly paying their bills. Here at Petor class, a teacher gives individualized education programmme I.E.P. Under this style, a class of 20 children with each having different disability and doing different things at ago could be mistaken for a room of mad men. For instance, we happened to one with a deformed mouth and lips system - no word could be uttered but could use signs to call and write a message ‘’Are you from KTN?’’ as I took clips. Another one who could not even write his name but the struggled English words from his mouth enabled him communicate efficiently. Far end the classroom sat a boy who kept closing his eyes sleeping as he didn’t want to see anybody while an epileptic pupil lay around with saliva oozing to the floors with no one even touching him. Petor is a conductive method that involves rehabilitation. It was derived by Hungarian Honduras Petros. For sure the chores provided by this teaching staffs at such learning institutes deserves more than what the government provides. Though the school head appreciates the government’s grants and the Salvation Army’s hand, the job he says needs a teaching staff with a heart. “we don’t get people to build us, what they know is politics. Asians used to boost our work by bringing food but of late they have been cornered by the state organs and political forces that force them contribute heavily for their supremacy. Shockingly, we have never received any CDF coin since 2003 when it started’’ Said the principal. There is one strong culture at Joyland just as in many normal public and private schools, English is the language. Any attempt to speak Swahili or vernacular (dholuo) definitely earns you a disk and no one is exempted. Funny enough, our chat in Swahili with the principal, the language we boast for our national heritage almost earned us a disk. A student, Peter Ouma, 20 who could not move his wheelchairs quickly instructed his aide to push him faster as he waved at us to stop. But on realizing that I was a journalist he resorted to a tune of music. “I want to be a musician in future, Mr Odera take care don’t speak Swahili again,” he warned the principal confidently. The principal was categorical over the question of the schools performance. “Special schools are categorized by themselves and cannot academically compete with the normal children who understand and pronounce everything better and faster while in special schools, needy students take ages to understand , pronounce and to write. However, Joyland was ranked position 94 out of 140 in Kisumu Municipality in the 2009 K.C.P.E. exams.” The worst challenge that the man of many titles is faced with is the staff housing unit. Out of 22 teaching staff, only two are housed within the school compound. The rest are forced to arrange for their rental houses outside the facility. “We need to house teachers and teachers aides within the premises to avoid the frequent occurrence of eventualities like the danger of accident, thugery etc,” the school head added. Source: Benjamin Ochieng, AfricaNews reporter in Kisumu, Kenya < Prev   Next >