The differently able students will have a chance to learn how to use computersĀ and equipped with skills such as accessing the Internet and online education content. A total of 356 blind and visually impaired students at St. Oda Primary and secondary School for the Blind ā Gem District, Siaya County will benefit from assistive learning technologies through an initiative dubbed Computer Labs for the Blind courtesy of a partnership between InAble, AccessKenya, and the Rockefeller Foundation. The government should support the initiative to completely digitize the education system since the government has a plan underway to supply electricity and devices to schools.
The students will be equipped with skills to enable them compete fairly with other students in seeking employment. Irene Mbari Kirika, Executive Director, InAble Kenya stated that: āThe scarcity of facilities and human capital for the blind and visually impaired have for a long time meant that they cannot compete equally with their sighted peers. They either find it difficult to start an education or complete the same under challenging conditions that make it impossible to build a foundation for self-reliance and contribution to the community, pushing them into begging and other forms of activities for their survival.ā
According to the parties involved, the education of blind and visually impaired students has over the years faced obstacles ranging from logistics, availability of facilities and teaching resources capable of allowing them to participate in mainstream life. Traditionally, blind and visually impaired students who reach High School are excluded from taking up sciences such as chemistry and physics as the Kenyan educational system does not recognize them as a feasible part of the curriculum, and accordingly teachers are not trained in appropriate methods for teaching them to blind and visually impaired students, leaving them at a disadvantage. Computer Labs for the Blind is a project set to change the challenges faced by the visually impaired students.
“Braille textbooks happen to be bulky and expensive, requiring up to four or more students to share a single book, presenting a challenge in imparting knowledge to the students. For instance, whereas the cost of books required by a Form 4 student costs about KES 7,060 it would cost slightly over KES 61,000 in braille which is way out of reach for very many Kenyans,ā added Irene.
āOther materials like the braille notepaper, a critical tool in the learning processes for the blind and visually impaired students. Unfortunately, as with the textbooks, braille notepaper is significantly more expensive than the standard note paper used by sighted students and as a result, blind and visually impaired students are often unable to take notes in class, yet they are expected to sit for the same tests and exams,ā concluded Irene.
AccessKenya Group will be investing Kes 7.2 million over the next two years in the provision of technology resources and financial support to aid in the growth and adoption of ICT. From the fund, Kes 6 million will go towards the āAssistive Technology Labsā project by InAble Kenya with the provision of broadband internet and related technology support to bring online six public primary and secondary schools that cater to the blind and visually impaired in the next 12 months.
āLooking at most ICT initiatives around us, we realized that there was a lot of focus on the provision of hardware but little emphasis on skilling both for the teachers and students. We are therefore making it easier to access the curriculum and other resources such as digital books and applications all which available online in order to deliver value in technology studies.ā Added Emily Kinuthia- Marketing Manager, AccessKenya.
The school is the fourth beneficiary from this initiative targeting close to 1700 students countrywide. Other schools lined up to benefit include; Likoni Primary school for the blind in Mombasa; St Francis Primary school for the blind in Kapenguria; Kibos primary and secondary schools for the blind in Kisumu and St. Lucy Secondary School for the blind in Meru County. The Rockefeller also donated $140,000 for the program that is aimed at enabling students and their teachersā access creative teaching and learning.
The government is currently better placed in supporting education for the visually impaired students and the project Computer Labs for the Blind following the many innovations that are launched in the IT sector including the launch of the Taifa Laptops. Students who graduate with braille skills always face many challenges because most of them are hidden from the larger society and the daily hustle people go through. Many institutions in the country can not openly employ a blind person because they believe braille skills can not compete effectively. The many disabled graduates always end up on the streets to beg from the passersby. Reports IT NEWS AFRICA
