Kericho Chief Officer (CO) for Information, Communication, E-government and Gender, Sports and Youth Affairs Geoffrey Bett has called upon parents living with children abled differently in the region to accept them and provide them with education so they can have a chance to acquire skills and become productive in society.
CO Bett made the call during St. Kizito Day celebrations held on Tuesday at St. Kizito School for the Deaf situated in Litein town Bureti Sub-County, Kericho.
He observed that many parents from the area were reluctant to take their disabled children to school due to stigma and discrimination in their homes noting this has widely contributed to their unproductiveness as they feel discouraged to engage in anything productive and end up considering themselves to be inferior.
“Sometimes society does not understand us but if you see as with the eyes of love then you shall see the eyes of love in us.” said CO Bett.
CO Bett who is physically challenged encouraged parents to ensure their disabled children go to school as this will allow them to realize their independence and push them to their full potential.
“I remember I am a product of a special school like this Kipchimchim School for the physically challenged and the challenges I faced as a physically challenged person are not new to me. I commend those parents with children living with disabilities for exposing them to learning environments with a view of equipping them with skills for them to be productive and self-reliant in society. This is not easy but may they feel encouraged for making responsible choices,” said CO Bett.
He called upon organizations and institutions in the area to allocate job opportunities to the disabled as they too deserved equal opportunities to progress in their chosen careers.
The Head teacher of the school Ms. Rosemary Munyendo appreciated well-wishers, partners and other invited guests for attending the annual celebration noting that it was a dignified thing to support the learners in the school education journey.
The school that was established in 1985 by the Catholic Nuns Order called the Little Sisters of St Francis has 66 girls and 74 boys, 16 TSC teachers, two ECD teachers and more than 10 support staff.
The school that was registered as a special public school in 1993 admits children between the ages of 5 and 15 years who are deaf.
The patron saint of the school, St Kizito, a Ugandan child martyr was killed for refusing to denounce his Christian faith when he was 14 years old on 3rd June 1856 and the school honors this day annually.
By Sarah Njagi
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