The end of CBC assessments at Grade 6 this year marked the beginning of a two-month holiday for primary school learners. KCSE on the other hand enters the most crucial week punctuated by reports of dismissal of centre managers and invigilators over what is seen as an attempt to engage in exam malpractice. It’s ending next week for the candidates to transition to the next level.
As learners break for this long break, parents always scratch their heads about the welfare of their children. Some develop stress arising from excess energy exhibited by their children. It is always the wish of many parents to have November and December holidays shortened so that they hand over their children to the teachers.
Owing to the heightened activities during November/December holidays, learners with special needs in many instances find themselves victims of abuse from rogue peers and adults. Education News has learnt that a number of these learners attract little to no care while they are at home over the holidays.
Over the past one year, rescue centres in Western and Nyanza regions have reported cases of defilement among these learners during the long vacation. Some, especially girls, ended up getting pregnant. The boys on the other hand have been sodomized.
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Parents asked to protect their children during December holidays
Other forms of abuse noted include child labour where payment is through giving them alcohol and sex. A case was reported in one sub-county in Western Kenya where learners are let to work in brick-making stalls, only to be given alcohol as a mode of payment.
In some counties in the Rift Valley, learners with special needs are made to herd livestock and given duties during festivities that are rampant during the December holidays. In many instances, parents of these learners are not aware of the whereabouts of their children.
This is a wake-up call for the parents to ensure that their safety is prioritized. Teachers are advised to always sensitize the parents on the dangers of not being close to their children during the holidays. They can do this by ensuring that they are in constant communication with the parents of the learners. The general public should also be informed of the existence of rogue individuals who take advantage of learners with special needs to satisfy their endeavours. Otherwise, disability can’t always be inability.
By Makiche Lagat
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