TABLE OF CONTENTS
DEDICATION .......................................................................... .
APPROVAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. ii
DEDICATION........................................................................... iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . .. . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS................................................................. v
LIST OF FIGURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............... vii
ABSTRACT .................................................................................... viii
CHAPTER ONE . . • . . • . . . . . . . . . . • . • . . • . . . . . . . • . .• . . . . . . . . . . . . •• . • . . . • . . . • . . . . . . •. . • . .. 1
1.0 Introduction . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . ... I
1.1 Background of the study......................................................... I
1.2 Statement of the problem ...................................................... ,. 2
1.3 Purpose of the study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.4 Research objective . ... . .. . .. ......... ... ... ... . .. . ... .. . .. . .. .. .. . . ... ... . .. . ... . 3
1.5 Research questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.6 Scope of the study . . .. . .. ... .......... .. . ... .. . .. . ... ... .. . .. . .. . .. . ... ... ... .. ... .. 3
1.7 Signification of the study............................................................ 3
CHAPTER TW 0 • . . . . . • . . . . . • . . . . . . . • . . • . . . . . . . . . • . . . • . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . • . . • . . . • . . • 5
2.0 literature review . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2.2 Defination of mental retardation ...................................................... 5
2.3 Classification of mental retardation children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 5
2.4 Causes of mental retardation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . . . . . . . ... 6
2.5 Identification of mentally handicapped learners . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.6 Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.6.1 Purpose of assessment . . .. . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 7
2. 7 Learning characterizing of mentally handicapped learners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... 7
2.7.1 Other characteristics................................................................ 7
2.8 Challenges faced by mentally handicapped learners . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.9 Teaching strategies for mentally handicapped learners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . 9
2.10.1 Free primary education ....... .......... .. ............. ... .. ... . ...... .. . ... .. . .. 9
2.11 conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
v
CHAPTER THREE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .. 10
3.0 Introduction............................................................................ 10
3.1 Research design....................................................................... 10
3.2 Sampling procedure.................................................................. 10
3.3 Study population....................................................................... 10
3.4 Date collection instruments........................................................... 10
3.5 Procedure for date collection . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
3.6 Date analysis and presentation...................................................... 11
CHAPTER FOUR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 12
4.0 Introduction .............................................................................. 12
4.1 General information of respondents ................................................... 12
4.2 Working experience of respondents ................................................... 12
4.3 Professional background ................................................................ 12
4.4 Distribution and return of questionnaire .. .. . ... .. . .. . .. . .. . .. ... ... . ...... ... .. .... 15
4.5 Learner's characteristics............................................................... 15
4.6 Professional qualification ofteachers ................................................ 15
4. 7 Impact of free education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
4.8 Special needs supplies and equipments ................................................ 18
4.9 Questionnaire for SNE officers ........................................................ 19
4.10 Challenges of the mentally handicapped ............................................ 20
CHAPTER FIVE . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .. . ... 21
5.0 Introduction .............................................................................. 21
5.1 Discussion ................................................................................ 21
5.2 Conclusion ................................................................................ 21
5.3 Recommendations ...................................................................... 23
5.4 Suggestions for Further Research ..................................................... 23
REFERENCES ............................................................................. 24
APPENDICES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . .. . .. . . . . . . . . . . ... 25
Appendix A. questionnaire for teachers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Appendix B. questionnaire for special needs education personnel.. ................ 26
Appendix C. questionnaire foe head teachers ........................................... 27
Appendix D. questionnaire for special education officers .............................. 28
Appendix E. questionnaire for average learners .......................................... 29
Appendix F. list of public schools in Nyaburu zone ..................................... 29
ABSTRACT The study investigated the challenges faced by the mentally handicapped in selected primary schools in Nyamburu zone of Rogo District, Kenya. The challenges which were extensively investigated included resource availability and the pupil teacher ratio among others. The main objective was to investigate the challenges faced by mentally handicapped learners in Nyaburu zone Rongo district and the impact of free education on mentally handicapped learners. Literature related to the study was reviewed and it became apparent that the mentally handicapped are still largely a marginalized lot. This provided not just the motivation but the urgency to investigate what is being done in our immediate neighborhood so that this problem can be intelligently interrogated The design was Ex post facto as the variable being investigated had already taken place. Stratified and purposeful sampling was used to select the study population. Questionnaires were the main data collection tools. The data generated were analyzed basic statistics in which frequencies, mode and percentages were calculated. The main findings of the study were the schools were inadequately staffed in terms of people are trained to handle such categories of pupils. The problem has been worsened by free primary education that has led to an influx of all categories of pupils to our primary schools. The facilities that the mentally challenged need to use are grossly lacking The conclusion was that mentally handicapped learners face various challenges but if all stakeholders work hand in hand, these challenges can be minimized. Some of the recommendations made were that there is need to improve the teacher-pupil ratio, sensitize the various stakeholders on handling this category of pupils, creation of more units and provision of more funds by the ministry of education.