Busia: Special schools in Busia and Bungoma have issued an appeal to the government through the Ministry of Education and Sports to increase funding for the term two school games for special schools, enabling learners to showcase their talents at the international level. Speaking at St. Brigit Akoreet Special School for the Deaf in Busia County, Boaz Makokha, a teacher from Nalondo CBM and a Para-volley coach, challenged the government not to overlook the talent in special schools, noting that learners in these schools have never been supported to participate in East African games unlike their counterparts.
According to Kenya News Agency, Makokha emphasized the potential of these learners, stating, "Our learners have equal if not greater potential. They only require the right support so that they can showcase their talent internationally. It is disheartening to see them left out at the national level every year while others advance to represent the country internationally." Learners from Nalondo and St. Brigit Akoreet have appealed to the president to issue them school buses to support their talent development beyond Kenya.
The students believe that having reliable transport would ease their movement to training and competition venues, which is crucial for nurturing and exposing their talents beyond Kenya's borders. "Without school buses, it becomes very difficult for us to attend competitions or even train consistently. We ask the President to hear our cry and help us achieve our dreams," said James Kambo, a student at St. Brigit Akoreet Special School.
The urgent call for additional assistance from Busia and Bungoma special schools comes at a time when the country is preparing for the second-term national school games. Such platforms are used for major talent identification and nurturing of these talents for future international competitions. Given the right environment and support, these young talents have great potential to represent Kenya at the Paralympics, further revealing the rich diversity of the country and untapped talent from special schools.