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"speaker_name": "Mr. Kipchumba",
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"content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir. I also want to support this very important Motion. About 10 per cent of Kenyans are actually disabled. I know that the Minister has given statistics, but we must appreciate that there are so many other cases which have not been reported. I wish that the respective Ministry could update its data, so that we know for certain how many Kenyans are disabled. In my own constituency, I have two primary schools dealing with such cases. One of them is dealing with hearing impairment, while the other one is dealing with physical disability. However, yesterday, when the Minister for Education was asked about giving support to those schools, he seemed completely lost as to what happens in those primary schools. The fact of the matter is that those children actually pay school fees, ranging from Kshs10,000 to Kshs30,000, depending on which school they go to. Of course, schools like Thika School for the Blind could be very expensive. The school in my constituency charges Kshs12,000 per child per year in order for the children to be maintained in the school. Of course, the school must buy food, pay salaries to staff, et cetera . Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is unfortunate that a whole Ministry is run by a Minister who has no clue as to what happens in his Ministry. It is unfair to tell Members of Parliament that the Ministry is not aware of something, when it has the necessary machinery to establish whether those children pay school fees or not. Therefore, I want to urge the Minister, who is here today, to commence investigations. If, indeed, we want to assist those children, who are required to pay Kshs12,000, which they do not have--- Their parents already have enough problems. The fact that you have a disabled child is itself a difficulty financially and otherwise. Therefore, since this country every time talks of being mindful of disabled Kenyans, it is necessary that we show this with deeds. I know that such schools get money under the Free Primary Education Programme, just like any other primary school, but that money is not sufficient given that those children require extra attention. Therefore, in line with what we are doing for technical institutions, I wish to see a budget dedicated to supporting institutions of disabled children. This is not difficult. I witnessed cases where disabled children graduated, and they are now being given vocational training. The problem is that we lack workshops. We are supporting those schools through the Constituencies Development Fund to build workshops from where such children can get vocational training. We know that the facilities to support vocational training are very expensive. Therefore, I want to request the Minister to proceed expeditiously to ensure that all those institutions--- The easiest 2412 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES July 11, 2007 training that we can give to people who suffer from IQ disabilities is vocational training. Those are courses that they can do physically. They do not require a lot of items. If the Ministry is very serious about that, it should proceed this year and copy what is being done by the Ministry of State for Youth Affairs where, every hon. Member has identified one technical institution---"
}