Background
Eva has been in the field of special education for the past 32 years. She has a Master’s degree in Special Needs Education from Walden University and is the founder of Acorn Special Tutorials a program for persons with neurodiversity. She was actively involved in the formulation of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) as a consultant in the development of the designs and teaching resources for learners with special learning needs.
She was a consultant with Gertrude’s children’s hospital in setting up the Child Development Centre (CDC) introducing a multidisciplinary approach to early diagnosis and interventions for infants and children with neurodiversity. Eva Nyoike serves as CEO of Africa Special Needs Network (ASNEN). She is also the appointed Chairperson, SNE(Special Needs Education) Sub Comm, Kenya Private School Association. Since 2016, Eva has consulted on matters special needs inclusion for the former First Lady Margaret Kenyatta and Beyond Zero. She is also a published author.
Q: What drives your passion and commitment to the awareness, advocacy, and inclusion of special needs learners in Kenya?
My passion was triggered decades ago when I gave birth to my first baby who was diagnosed with hemophilia and passed away at 3 months old. While he lay in a coma, doctors told me that there was a high chance that he would be severely mentally retarded. In the days that followed his passing, I prayed and made promises that I’d be the best mother to my special baby. Turned out that God intended that I would be a mother, advocate, and champion for hundreds of Kenyan children living with disabilities. After achieving my Bsc. Education, Special Education and Teaching from the US, I came back home driven, equipped yet unemployed and overqualified. In 1999, Acorn Special Tutorials was established to cater to students with special needs specifically in the area of intellectual disabilities. At our institution, we conduct academic assessments and evaluations, early intervention programs, and occupational, physio, speech, and language therapy. My objective is to ensure that every child in Kenya, not just Acorn, gets effective and appropriate services and instructions that they require to thrive.
Q: According to UNICEF, only 7.5% of Kenyan children living with disabilities receive the special care they require. What is holding back the progression and improvement of this statistic?
Firstly, on a community level, there is still negative sentiment toward children with disabilities leading to their neglect and marginalization. We need to totally demystify disabilities from the community level and once there’s better understanding, there will be acceptance. Secondly, Resources and specialized services are still scarce and in the event that they exist, there’s limited knowledge about where and how they can be accessed. In some instances, there is the problem of misdiagnosis; some children need extra attention but not necessarily special education. We need to go back to the drawing board and map out services that are available i.e. schools, therapy centers, rehabilitation centers, vocational programs, TVETS and universities accepting learners with special needs.Thereafter we can know what to add, develop or enhance.
Q: As you lead the fight for the social and economic inclusion of the special needs community in different capacities. What would you say are the top three most important, or urgent, intervention areas that should be everyone’s priority?
Early diagnosis, Early intervention and mainstreaming Inclusive education. and In our experience with children with disabilities, the earlier you intervene, the better the prognosis for the child. If we were able to put in place some form of screening at the grassroots level by training local health and education workers, we’d then be able to push for the investment in early intervention, treatment and therapy. Lastly, mainstreaming inclusive education by making it a requirement in all education areas after all, an architecture graduate will build buildings that should accommodate people with disabilities.
Q: What do you see as the role of corporates in the welfare of the special needs community?
Corporates can play a major role in demystifying and mainstreaming disability by ensuring that at least 5% of their workforce is people with disabilities. Corporate also have the ability to fill the resource gaps we continue to highlight; making sure people with disabilities receive the right, appropriate, needed and effective services, inputs and education they need to thrive. This is long term, effective investment in the special needs community and the nation at large. According to the 2019 Census, there are 900,000 people with disabilities. This community could be a huge contributor to the national GDP if given the opportunity.
Q: As we prepared for this interview, we realized that there hasn’t been enough commentary on the recently signed Children Act 2022 in relation to children living with disabilities. What should Kenyans pay attention to and should we be optimistic?
The Children Act 2022 provides that children living with disability will be accorded free medical treatment, special care, education and training. As it stands this is vague and we are waiting to see the implementation of the law by the new government and stakeholders. However, since this is signed and has been enacted by the parliament, the people now have the power to demand for the implementation and execution of free medical treatment, special care, education and training.
Q: What is the vision behind the upcoming 1st Ubuntu Special Needs and Inclusive Education Conference?
The term ‘Ubuntu’ reminds us that 'I am what I am because of who we all are'. The conference organized by Africa Special Needs Network (ASNEN) will bring together all stakeholders and policy makers i.e. Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Ministry of finance, Kenya Institute of Special Education, institutions of higher learning, Basic Education, special education professionals and parents to have conversations about inclusive education - its challenges, successes and implementation. SDG 4 calls for quality teachers and instructors. Inclusive education is quality education for all children. Dialogue from the conference will also help build into the Caregivers Manual that ASNEN is currently working on. This manual will help caregivers access resources and information on the specific conditions of their children. It also contains resources for psychosocial support and self-care for caregivers.
The Caregiver’s manual will be officially launched on International Day of Persons with Disabilities , December 3rd, 2022
Learn more about the Ubuntu Special Needs and Inclusive Education conference here.
Komentar