By Eddah Waithaka
The Kenya Institute of Special Education (KISE) has launched an exciting Expo focusing on specialized learning materials, assistive devices and cutting-edge technology, which kicked off on September 5 at the institution’s Assessment and Research Centre in Kasarani.
The theme of the Expo ‘An African Expo on Specialized Learning Resources, Assistive Devices and Technology’ aims to establish partnerships and networks for the production, provision, supply and distribution of specialized learning materials, assistive devices and technology.
The highlight of the Expo is to expose users to available solutions for specialized learning materials, assistive devices and technologies for people with special needs and disabilities.
Speaking at the event, Principal Secretary for Basic Education Dr. Belio Kipsang’ said, “Today we are here so that we can be able to appreciate what is out there that makes it possible for all of us to be able to optimize on our potential and I am sure all of us have walked around. The cost of the assistive devices that our children use needs to come down and one of the ways to make sure that it comes down is to have our own factory, to have our own assembly line and the government has already set aside 500 million to start this particular project, both to build and to bring in the necessary equipment that will make it possible for us to both produce and assemble the necessary devices that our children need.”
Kipsang’ also spoke on how KISE will get financial resources as the new policy, “As part of policy starting this year, we have decided that to consolidate and to be able to benefit from economies of scale, that instead of sending small amounts of monies to every other school, is that we shall send a certain component of that resource to the school and we shall send a certain component of that resource to KISE so that they consolidate and be able to acquire the devices in large numbers and that way we shall benefit from our economies and I requested the regulator in procurement to allow me to delegate the procurement authority to the CEO of this institution because they have better understanding, they have better knowledge, they have expertise here, they have been able to know which is the right quality equipment that will support our children.”
The Principal Secretary also assured that KISE will also receive books in schools just like Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development KICD.
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Kipsang’ also emphasized that the government will set up a parents’ center at the facility that will accommodate parents while they take their children for therapy and while they take their children for support that will be provided by this facility so that it makes it easier and again give equal opportunity to the children.
Ten centers will also be set up for KISE branches throughout the country, ten regions, where they will assist in the early identification and assessment of the children and also do some of the basic rehabilitation, making it easier to help these children.
“Sometimes some of them require some little support and they will end up being just normal children. So going forward we are going to do ten centres across the country which will be supporting KISE, one in identification and in rehabilitation because we want to give our children an equal opportunity,” said Kipsang’.
The Principal Secretary said that the essence of competency-based education is that it nurtures the potential of every learner: “The word is every learner and therefore we want to ensure that every learner has an equal opportunity as they grow into adulthood.
