Disability is not Inability

:: Street children should also be taken to school.

Reports indicate that to effectively ensure Free education children with special needs need to be specially targeted to ensure they enrol in school and stay there. The recent government directive to ensure the provinciasl administration round up all loittering chlidren are taken to school is borne to be an issue for children with special needs. These include children with disabilities, street children, orphans,

Reports in the Civil Society and International developmment indicate there are over 1.5 million children do not go to school in the country despite the 3 years of the free schooling programme. It is estimated that there are about 250,000 children living in the streets of major towns in Kenya. Most are between the age of six and eleven who should be in school. There are also estimates that over 150,000 children living with various disabilities are also not in school.

The street children have been associated with theft, drugs trafficking, assault, property damage, including stealing vehicle parts. When Narc Government came to power in 2003, plans were mooted to set up rehabilitation centres for the street children. In Nairobi, for example, several centres were set up at Pumwani, Kariokor, Shauri Moyo, Kibera, and Bahati. Only two centres remain operational three years today.

The street children have been associated with theft, drugs trafficking, assault, property damage, including stealing vehicle parts. When Narc Government came to power in 2003, plans were mooted to set up rehabilitation centres for the street children. In Nairobi, for example, several centres were set up at Pumwani, Kariokor, Shauri Moyo, Kibera, and Bahati. Only two centres remain operational three years today.

When the centres closed, the children went back into the streets. Some of the youngsters were taken to the National Youth Service for skills training. The Ministry of Home Affairs is held with the key responsibility of implementing the Children's Act. The Provincial and Internal security dockets are also critical in ensuring children are secured from exploitaion, which may destroy their productive lives.

The how and the how much are the issues here?

Children with special needs are the responsibility of the society especially if they are living in the streets or market centres. Special targeting measures are needed to ensure they have access to sustainable education that is also free. A major challenge is where do we provide the education sustainably? in a boarding school in a community school or in a school facility that is also a home for them.

resource mobilisation

Should the ministry spend more money in pomping jails or improving education opportunites for children out-of school. Should they be given more money as a ministry to improve facilities including the children's homes that are run by civil society. Do these homes be integrated with schooling facilites? Shouldnt these facilities be made disability-friendly to cater for the children with disabilities?

How much of the education burden should come through the ministry of education free education budget? how much should run through Constituency development funds? How much should run through Home Affairs? WHo should take responsibility for what? The cities or municipal authories should take charge of funding and or including runing Children homes in their municipaliities.

These are some of the suggestions in managing the implementation of compulsory free education that is available for all.

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