Challenges Encountered In the Historical Development of Education for Persons with Visual Impairments in Kenya (1945-2013)
- May 23, 2019
- Posted by: RSIS
- Category: Special Education
International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI) | Volume VI, Issue V, May 2019 | ISSN 2321–2705
Muigai Solomon Chege, Geoffrey Karugu, Fatuma Chege
Department of Special Needs Education, Kenyatta University, P.O. Box 43844-00100 Nairobi, Kenya
Corresponding Author: Muigai Solomon Chege
ABSTRACT: – The purpose of this study was to identify challenges encountered in the historical development of education for Persons with Visual Impairments in Kenya between 1945 and 2013. The study sampled three counties of Kenya namely; Nairobi city, Kiambu and Meru. Historical method was the main research approach. A historical method reconstructs the happenings of past in a particular context. Purposive sampling was used to select 11 participants who were interviewed. Documentary analysis and interviews were used to collect the raw data. The documents from which data were gathered were evaluated through external and internal criticisms to establish their genuineness and accuracy. The collected data were manually analyzed through a historical sequencing style of word narratives through comparisons and judgment. The study noted that the main challenge in the historical development of education for Persons with Visual Impairments was the financing of the relatively expensive instructional materials and specialized equipment and their maintenance. Notably, this challenge on financing has persisted to the present day suggesting that historical knowledge did not seem to inform contemporary planning of education for Persons with Visual Impairments. The main recommendation from this study is that; successive Kenya governments need to uptake historical lessons regarding the education for Persons with Visual Impairments and begin by increasing budgetary funds that are commensurate to the comparatively high costs of instructional materials, specialized equipment and their maintenance as a matter of key policy undertaking aimed at enhancing quality of education for all learners in an inclusive manner.
KEY WORDS: Challenges, Education, Historical development and Persons with Visual Impairments
