Ministry of Education and Vocational Training

SPECIAL NEEDS EDUCATION UNIT

INTRODUCTION
 The Special Needs Education Unit was established in the office of the Commissioner for Education (CEO) the year 1989. With an objective of overseeing and coordinating Special Education Programmes carried by all departments in the MoEVT

Roles and Functions of the Unit includes:-

• Planning and supervision of expansion and consolidation of Special Needs Education services.

• Planning and supervision of assessments and placement of learners with Special Educational Needs.

• Co –ordination of examinations and selection of learners with special education needs (to join Secondary and Higher Learning Institutions).

• Co-ordination of curricula and training programmes for learners with special needs.

• Recommending and ordering of equipment and materials for learners with special education needs.

• Liasing with Associations of and societies for learners with special education needs

• Co-ordinating programmes for house parents and teacher aids.

• Printing and distributing text and supplementary books in Braille for the blind and learners with Low Vision.

• Preparing and distributing teaching and learning materials for learners with special needs.

• Liasing with other ministries, departments and donor agencies which help in the provision of special needs education service in the strengthening and expanding special needs education services.

• Advising the Commissioner for Education (CEO)/and other ministerial departments on matters concerning Special Needs Education.

TYPES OF LEARNERS WITH DISABILITIES WHO ARE BEING PROVIDED WITH EDUCATION SERVICES

The MoEVT is currently running educational services for learners with special needs through   special schools, integrated units and inclusive schools for the following categories of learners with disabilities:-

• The blind and Visually Impaired
• The Deaf and Hearing Impaired
• The Intellectually Impaired/Mentally Handicapped
• The Physically Handicapped
• The Deaf blind
• Autistics children/children with autism and
• Albinos

Definitions

• Special Schools: are schools which provide education to only one category of children with special learning needs.

• Integrated Units: These are units for children with special learning needs which are attached to regular schools

• Inclusive Schools: these are regular schools which cater for learners with special learning needs in a regular inclusive classroom where learners with special learning needs are assisted by a specialized teacher.

• The Blind: These are a group of learners whose visual acuity is less than 3/60 NPL.
• Visual Acuity:  refers to the ability of a person to see details at a specified distance.

• The Visual Impaired/Low Vision: these are learners whose visual acuity is less than 6/18.

• The Deaf: This is a group of learners who cannot perceive speech sounds under normal circumstances because of having a big hearing loss (HL).

• The Hearing Impaired: these are learners who are partially deaf. They can perceive speech sounds intelligibly by the support of a hearing aid which amplifies speech sounds.

• The Physically Handicapped: These are learners in whom one or more of their physical parts are impaired or do not perform their normal functions.

• The Deafblind: they are learners who cannot hear nor see. They have double handicaps.

• Autistic: These are learners with mental/intellectual impairment which lead them to behaving unique. Some of the characteristics of an autistic child are; hyperactive, shyness and tendency to like sweet smelling things.
• Albino: these are learners who lack black color pigment/those who suffer from albinism

 
SCHOOLS/UNITS FOR:-

 A.    Deaf/Hearing Impairment:
 

 
B.        VISUAL IMPAIRMENT
 

 
C.      INTELLECTUAL IMPAIRMENT

 
D.         DEAFBLINDNESS
 

 
E.       PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT
 

 
     AUTISM 

 
SECONDARY SCHOOLS WHICH ENROLL CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

A.      VISUAL IMPAIRMENT:

B.      DEAF/HEARING IMPAIRMENT:

 
C:  PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT
 

 
D:  INTELLECTURAL IMPAIRMENT