Other challenges to education are low levels of literacy among parents, inadequate classrooms, low
community and parental support, inadequate teachers. Teachers who are HIV victims tend to be discriminated
against and when they die, their orphans are not catered for and there is no facilitation from the Education
Department for this category of teachers. This has been a recurrent problem for many years due to low local
revenue collection by district local governments.
Other initiatives are the implementation of the National girl-child initiative which has contributed into increased
enrolment of girls than boys especially between P1 and P3. In Kapchorwa district it is reported that today
more girls have become more assertive towards their rights and shunned FGM. Girls are also benefiting from
bursaries initiated under Forum of African Women Educationists (FAWE). Education For All Campaigns (EFA)
are on-going and is expected to improve on access to education as a right for children.
8.1.5 Education for Children with Special Learning Needs
Government is implementing the Educational assessment and Resource Service (EARS) countrywide to
support children with various impairments. According to the UPE policy, priority must be given to children with
special needs. In 2003, there were a total of 247,953 children with disabilities (girls: 114,466; boys: 133,487)
enrolled in primary schools.
Children with Special Needs in
Primary Schools
Girl
Boys
Adopted and modified from UBOS, 2004
A working group on special education has been created within the framework of ESIP and has developed
policy guideline for special needs education.
Assessment and identification of children with disabilities and other special needs such as children living on
the street, traumatized children and gifted/talented children was done under the coordination of the Special
Needs Education, Career Guidance and Counselling department of the Ministry of Education and Sports. This
needs to be programmed to take place annually to cater for those who move in and out of these categories.
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