Meeting with new MOE Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi

[Tess Bacalla]

Dear Partners,

I had the chance to join the luncheon meeting organized by Elimu Yetu Coalition (EYC) on May 22 with the newly appointed education secretary, Professor Jacob Kaimenyi. My host organization, KAIH (Kenya Association for the Intellectually Handicapped), was one of the NGOs invited by the EYC to attend the event, which in turn, through its national coordinator Fatma Wangare, asked me to come along.

The event, which was held at the Panafric Hotel in Nairobi, was attended by representatives of different organizations, including Plan International, World Vision, Handicap International, Kenya National Parents and Teachers Association (KNAP), Centre for Research, Communication and Gender in Early Childhood Education, Canada International Development Agency, Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers, and a few other institutions supporting education programs and/or advocating education reforms, including those that concern learners with disabilities.

The event afforded the participating organizations the chance to voice their concerns or press the ministry for specific actions on particular issues (including those expressed by Fatma, for instance, on behalf of learners with disabilities).

Other issues raised concerned funding for the education sector, delayed releases of school budgets, understaffed schools, the need for quality teacher training, and the charging of fees to primary school students despite the express stipulation in Kenya’s Constitution that “every child has the right to free and compulsory basic education.” KNAP chair Nathan Baraza said this practice must be abolished.

One of the participants during the meeting, who is physically challenged, said the rights of teachers with disabilities must also be safeguarded alongside those of learners with special needs and developmental challenges.

Among the other highlights of the meeting were talks given by EYC national coordinator Janet Muthoni, who cited a list of education reforms and issues that in the coalition’s view the ministry must pursue and pay urgent attention to; and by KUPPET representatives Omboko Milemba and Akello Misori, who tackled relevand issues as well. KNAP chair Baraza also made a brief impromptu talk, highlighting some of the struggles of parents of school children.

In his remarks, Mr. Kaimenya pledged to do his best to address these and related issues. He addressed the need for inclusive education, saying the government’s policy on learners with disabilities must be “implemented.” He added that there must be “Constitutional compliance,” addressing the issue of charging of fees in primary schools. He also promised to put up boarding schools in “arid and semi-arid” areas in Kenya.

He said his office as education secretary is “open” to those who need to see him on specific issues and that they “are at liberty to come to me.”

It will be recalled that his predecessor, the late Mutula Kilonzo, who passed away on April 27, had been a staunch supporter of the education reforms NGOs working on issues affecting children with disabilities had been pushing for.

Felicity Nyambura, founder of Autism Society of Kenya and one of the SCPGE partners, recalls Mr. Kilonzo inviting her meet with him at his office “so that he could understand what the issues were. He understood that there was a problem which required his attention.”

Says Felicity of the meeting:

We had a very fruitful discussion whereby the Minister pointed out that the national school health policy has been the downfall for the autism programs because it had no legal framework to facilitate implementation on the ground, and he undertook the process with the Kenya Law Reforms Commission and CIC and instructed ASK to walk to their offices with letters of correspondences which he had previously exchanged with them since the KISE meeting.

He also informed us that he would demystify the word “others” as appearing in the definition in the Kenya Constitution 2010 and at the Disability Act 2003, by mentioning specific disabilities to facilitate access to resources in the national budget.

SCPGE advocacy and policy advisor Saraha Akello describes Mr. Kilonzo “as a champion who stood up for the education cause of children with disabilities and was willing to do everything within his reach to cause meaningful change in ensuring the improvement of education standards for children with disabilities.”

Now that the Ministry of Education is under Professor Jacob Kaimenyi’s watch, we can only hope and pray that he will pursue the reforms initiated by Mr. Kilonzo, including those involving children with disabilities, and will take on the unfinished tasks left behind by his predecessor.

The challenge to us individuals and groups championing the cause of children with disabilities in Kenya is to pursue a sustained engagement with the Ministry of Education at our respective levels (e.g., county) as well as with other concerned public officials.

Last Wednesday’s meeting of various stakeholders with the new education secretary – and the latter’s positive response to the issues raised to him – was a good start. 

Warm regards,

Tess

[George Awalla]

Dear Tess,

Thanks for a very comprehensive update on the meeting with the new ‘minister’ for education. Lets hope that the fire that was lit by the late Mutula Kilonzo will continue burning bright. 

I am happy to see that we are exploiting all opportunities to put the agenda of children with disabilities at the forefront

We thanks EYC & KAIH for creating a platform to enable you meet the Prof Kaimenyi

 

Warm regards
George

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[saraha akello]

Dear Partners,

“Eliminating Harmful Social and Cultural Practices Affecting Children: Our Collective Responsibility” is the theme for this year’s celebration of the 23rd Day of the African Child.

The Day of the African Child (DAC) is commemorated every year on 16 June by Member States of the African Union (AU), and its Partners (in accordance with Resolution CM/Res.1290 (XL)). It is an occasion when as Africans in unity (AU) commemorate in memory the 1976 uprisings in Soweto, when schools children who rose up in a protest against the poor quality of education given to Africans by the apartheid regime in South Africa resulted in the public killing of the unarmed young protesters by the police.

It (DAC) “presents an opportunity to focus on the work of all actors committed to the rights of children on the continent, and to consolidate their efforts in addressing the obstacles for realizing these rights. It also provides an occasion for governments, international institutions and communities to renew their commitments towards improving the plight of the marginalized and particularly vulnerable children by organizing activities aimed at including these specific children.’ (Source: African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child -ACERWC, Concept Note for the DAC 16 June 2012)

A number of international and regional instruments underscore the fact that the protection of children from all forms of violence is a human rights obligation. The UN Study on Violence against Children urged States “to prohibit all forms of violence against children, in all settings, including all corporal punishment, harmful traditional practices, such as early and forced marriages, female genital mutilation and so-called honor crimes…”

Children with disabilities are more vulnerable to abuse and suffer double tragedy unlike their counterparts without disability.

It is because of this that Voluntary Service Overseas (Jitolee) through the SCPGE programme joins the rest of the world in commemorating the Day of the African Child with specific orientation towards children with disabilities and how harmful social and cultural practices affect them.

As partners in the Strengthening Citizens’ Participation in the Governance of Education programme in Kenya, we know that many harmful social and cultural practices such as female genital mutilation, child labor, corporal punishment, forced and early marriages among others exist in our midst and children with disabilities are at greater danger due to the negative socio-cultural attitude and stigmatization associated with disability. We call upon you to join hands with those organizations nearest to you that have organized innovative activities aimed at raising awareness, sharing views and opinion on such harmful practices to offer solutions on how we can ultimately eliminate such practices and make the society a better place for especially the child with disability to live in.

Some of the SCPGE partners including NFSS (15/June at Eastleigh High School), Slusuwe CBR in Bungoma (Celebrating today 14/June at Sinoko DOs office in Ndivisi Bungoma county), KAPACIDA in Kirinyaga among others have organized events to mark the occasion and I am wishing you the very best during your celebrations. 

Lets us continue joining efforts in highlighting the plight of the child with disability amidst harmful social and cultural activities in our society.

Warm regards

Saraha Akello

Policy and Advocacy Advisor

Strengthening Citizens’ Participation in the Governance of Education Programme (VSO Jitolee)