Examining School and Community Preparedness for Transition of Young Adults with Intellectual Disability for Independent Living in Selected Counties, Kenya
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Date
2021
Authors
Makumi, Mary Wangui
Karugu, Geoffrey
Runo, Mary
Muthee, Jessina
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Abstract
Despite the Government of Kenya’s commitment to provide education for all its citizens
including those with disability, those with mild and moderate ID seem not to proceed for
further education, training, employment and settling in their community after special or
primary school. The main goal of the study was to examine the school and community
preparedness for transition of young adults with mild and moderate intellectual
disability for independent living in Kiambu and Murang´a counties, Kenya. The specific
objectives of the study were investigated barriers to successful transition of young adults
with intellectual disability for independent living and to establish the levels of
independent living among young adult graduates with intellectual disability within the
last five years in Kiambu and Murang’a counties. The study adopted descriptive research
design which utilized both quantitative and qualitative research approaches. Target
population was 239 headteachers, 405 SNE teachers, 1,200 young adults in school, 600
young adult graduates and 199 opinion leaders in 9 special schools and 230 special units.
Purposive sampling method was used to select 120 young adult learners, 60 graduate, 30
headteachers and 20 opinion leaders while simple random sampling method was used to
select 48 SNE teachers to participate in the study. This gave a total of 278 study
respondents. Questionnaires and interview guides were used to collect data. The study
established that dual diagnosis, assistance of taking medication independently, medical
condition, running or wandering from home and loneliness were the main barriers to
independent living for adult learners with ID. The study found out that the level of independent living was low among individuals with intellectual disabilities in the
schools and units of study. After graduating from special schools and units, majority of
learners with ID went back home and they were not engaging in any activity after school.
Among the few who were engaging in activities after school, most of them were doing
beadwork and weaving, hairdressing, farming, carpentry and dressmaking. Others were
employed in their former schools/units as security guards. Graduation of the learners
with intellectual disability was not considered as a very relevant process and hence most
schools were not given any certification to learners with ID. This is despite most of the
teachers and headteachers reporting that learners with ID graduated after learning the
required skills. The study recommends that; the government through the Ministry of
Education should create a special class in secondary schools for those in the borderline;
provide policy that Ministries, NGOs, private sectors among others should employ
young adults with ID to promote independent living.
Description
Article
Keywords
independent living, community preparedness, transition, intellectual disability
Citation
Makumi, M. W., Karugu, G., Runo, M., & Muthee, J. (2021). EXAMINING SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY PREPAREDNESS FOR TRANSITION OF YOUNG ADULTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING IN SELECTED COUNTIES, KENYA. European Journal of Education Studies, 8(6).