EXAMINING SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY PREPAREDNESS FOR TRANSITION OF YOUNG ADULTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING IN SELECTED COUNTIES, KENYA

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.

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