Factors That Affect The Education Of The Mentally Challenged Learners In Primary Schools In Municipality Division In Kakamega Central District Of Kakamega County In kenya

ABSTRACT

The study was carried out in Municipality division to find out the factors that affect

education of the mentally challenged learners. People with disability all over the world have

for a long time been considered socially and physically less capable, the purpose of this study was to investigate on factors that affect education of the mentally challenged learners in Primary schools in Municipality Division in Kakamega Central District. The study adopted

the survey style since it is observational in nature. Key findings of factors affecting education of the mentally challenged learner in municipality division .According to the data collected and the analysis done, it appeared that mental retardation is not widely understood by majority of the teachers in Primary Schools in the Division. The teachers are not able to handle these pupils well. Their teaching approaches do not favor the challenged children. This is because the classes in the schools are too large for the teachers to pay individual attention to the learners; it was also evident that the parents of the mentally challenged have not taken education of their children seriously. The fewer who are literate and financially stable have prioritized education of their ‘normal’ children leaving behind the challenged children, They don’t provide them with necessary materials to support their education, key recommendations were, Parent involvement in the education of the mentally challenged is vital. The parents can be assisted through guidance and counseling. Community health workers should help by holding seminars to inform the parents on taping their talents for self reliance in future. The parent should also involve them in activities at home to boost their self esteem. The government should employ more teachers to lower the teacher / pupil’s ratio. It should also provide funds to purchase high technological materials to make the teachers work easy. It should also provide funds to finance seminars and workshops through which the teachers are enlightened on the importance of the education of the mentally challenged. Human resources like the peripatetic should be availed to assist in handling of these children.