National Fund for the Disabled Kenya chair Christine Pratt Kenyatta(centre) gives a cheque to Moi Girls' High school Principle Margaret Njagga (in pink) during awards for development on April 05, 2023. [Denish Ochieng, Standard]

Twenty-two special needs institutions have a reason to smile after they received Sh19 million from the National Fund for the Disabled of Kenya (NFDK).

The money, which was the first tranche, is a financial grant that will help the institutions set up various infrastructures including classrooms, kitchens, dormitories, and dining halls.

''Today, we gave the first tranche of the grant totalling Sh19 million to 22 special needs institutions that we assessed out of the 60. By the time they complete the projects, we shall have given them Sh58 million,'' said Dr Kristina Pratt Kenyatta, chairperson of NFDK.

Ms Kenyatta while speaking yesterday during the handover of the cheques at the Fund's offices in Nairobi said due to lack of enough funding, they were forced to fund only 22 during this financial year.

''Twenty-two out of 60 is a small number and we are appealing for more funding from the government and corporates to increase funding because these small monies that we give have done great projects out there,'' she added.

She said they have so far funded 200 institutions within 10 years spending about Sh700 million.

The benefitting institutions have to sign a binding contract with NFDK as a commitment towards the implementation of the projects.

The NFDK was registered on July 7, 1981, after a funds drive which raised Sh20 million in aid of persons with disabilities.

Speaking at the event, fund trustee member and nominated Senator Prof. Margaret Kamar said persons with disability and teachers of special needs institutions will soon benefit from Bills lined up to cater for their needs

''It's unfortunate that the Ministry of Education has not released capitation to special needs schools. I will continue to pursue the matter to find out why the capitation has been delayed and why teachers have not been receiving their allowances on time,'' promised Prof Kamar.

Godfrey Gikunda, head teacher at Isiolo School for the Deaf complained that the Fund only supports the institutions to get projects but not the welfare of learners and staff.

''The special needs schools' money is always released very late making operations difficult. We are closing in two weeks' time but we have not received the grants to pay even suppliers,'' said Gikunda, who is also secretary general of the Special Schools Heads Association of Kenya (SSHARK).

Mr Gikunda raised concern about understaffing adding that most teachers are about to retire yet there are young ones to replace them.

He also complained that most schools lack assessors after the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) redeployed them as Curriculum Support Officers (CSOs).