KENYA EDUCATION MANAGEMENT

INSTITUTE

DIPLOMA IN EDUCATION MANAGEMENT

DISTANCE LEARNING MODULE.

MODULE 4: CHILD FRIENDLY SCHOOLS

TASK:

CHILD FRIENDLY SCHOOL (CFS) POLICY

PRESENTED BY: MARY WAMBUI MUCHUNGA

CHILD FRIENDLY SCHOOL

The following factors need to be taken into consideration in developing a child friendly

school policy. Although all the learners would benefit from a child friendly learning

environment, children with special needs would be the greatest beneficiary of such a policy.

Inclusive

In order to provide an inclusive education system in which students with special

needs are fully participating members of a community of learners, additional support

may be required by means of additional staff, specialized learning materials, physical

accommodations or equipment, and assessments to enable them to meet their

educational and social needs.

The following factors need to be considered.

1. Non-discriminatory and all-inclusive provision of education underlining in

particular, gender equity and targeting of the poor and the disadvantaged groups;

2. Respect for the rights of the individual, cultural diversity, indigenous languages

and Special needs education is not only an issue for schools and teachers who look

after children with disabilities, but also a whole system approach that touches the

whole nation in its drive to include all inhabitants in every aspect of responsible civic

life. It therefore calls for a radical and holistic change of attitudes and misconceptions

about persons with disabilities to ensure that they too have access to quality

education.

In this regard, the adoption of complementary and mutually supportive approaches that are

based on the principles of inclusiveness, integration and participation of children with

special needs will be encouraged and school-friendly environments will be promoted.

Knowledge provision

Teachers are a costly but powerful resource. Expansion of the training of teachers at

both levels, pre-service and in-service will be organised in order to support an inclusive

teaching system. Thus the training of teachers will be broadened to cover relevant

aspects of disabilities

Regarding special needs education, the main policy objective will emphasise

inclusiveness. Support and equipment will be provided to enable pupils with mild

disabilities to participate effectively in mainstream education. The curriculum will be

the same as the mainstream schools but spiral in nature. Vocational and technical

subjects will be given priority.

Students with intellectual disabilities have general intellectual functioning

significantly below the mean, as well as significant limitations in adaptive functioning

in at least two of the following skill areas as appropriate to the student’s age:

communication, self-care, home living, social/interpersonal skills, use of community

resources, self-direction, functional academic skills, work, leisure, health and safety.

Students can experience intellectual disabilities across a range: mild to profound

Equality

School boards are responsible for providing facilities that allow equality of access to

educational programs for students with special educational needs, and should use

their annual capital allowance of the block for small renovation projects to make

schools accessible. A practical and student-centred approach is to address the

facility's needs when new construction or renovations are planned and approved, and

to complete those changes to existing buildings that are possible and reasonable as
students' needs are identified. This is a long-term planning process that should,

wherever possible, anticipate student arrivals and any exceptional facility needs.

Increase share of enrolment particularly of girls to promote the gender equality objectives as

set out in the constitution.

Nutrition and health services

Government with other stakeholders will support the expansion of school feeding and

strengthen the establishment of school canteens for improving the nutritional standards

of school children and literacy participants.

School leaders shall ensure that the nutrition, health services, and social services children

need in order to learn are provided either at the school site or in cooperation with other

community agencies

A nutrition services program that includes a food service program that employs well-prepared

staff who efficiently serve appealing choices of nutritious foods; a sequential program of

nutrition instruction that is integrated within the comprehensive school health education

curriculum and coordinated with the food service program; and a school environment that

encourages students to make healthy food choices;

The integrated approach of addressing the nutritional needs of the learner

through school feeding/ canteen schemes will be enhanced and the provision of a

conducive environment that takes cognisance of the importance of hygiene,

water and sanitation promoted.

Community linkage

One of the more important characteristics of the education system lies in

its salient linkages with the socio-economic structure

Another complex set of linkages exists between the education system and the economy,

whereby the school is seen as the solution to a wide range of economic problems. This

belief is the source of much of the impetus for policy changes.

The School has to develop strong linkages with other government departments,

nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) and committees to promote an integrated approach

to ECD. Through these linkages, the School will participate in the implementation of the

National Policy on Integrated Early Childhood Development and strengthen its ties and

collaboration with parties interested in this area. Through the multi-sectoral working

group and the committees set up for the promotion of ECD, partnerships and alliances

with civil society and international agencies will be promoted and sustained.