By CHARLES NGENO
Visually impaired teachers in the Rift Valley region have lauded the recent move by the Government to award them a readers’ allowance which they have been claiming for a long time.
The teachers further welcomed the move to award teachers trained in special needs education and who have been deployed to teach in special schools or units a special duty allowance of Sh10,000.
Kenya Union of Special Needs Education Teachers secretary-general James Torome said the readers allowance will go a long way in improving the performance of visually impaired teachers.
“The work of these teachers has for a long time been made difficult by their inability to hire readers who assist them in reading, scheming and marking students’ assignments,” said Torome.
Legal entitlement
At the same time, Torome said the union supports the deal signed by the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers.
The chairman of South Rift Union of the Blind, Raymond Cheruiyot, termed the move as a milestone in empowering the disabled.
“This is in recognition of additional efforts and special circumstances for teachers handling children with special needs,” said Cheruiyot.
However, he said the same should be replicated in other public offices. “The Constitution states that persons with disabilities should be given five per cent of all Government appointments and as a union we appreciate what the teachers’ employer has done,” said Cheruiyot.
