After widespread school closures in 2020 to prevent the spread of COVID-19, most Kenyan schools turned to homeschooling, and online information sharing took hold. With most schools quickly adapting to remote learning, the Kenyan government was able to conduct national Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examinations despite the pandemic. The outcomes were unexpected. KCPE candidates with special needs performed admirably, with an 8.77% increase in students scoring 300-399 and, for the first time, a score of 420 out of 500. (Education News).

This year, 80 blind and visually impaired students took the KCPE exams in March, joining over 1.1 million other students in Kenya. To say we are pleased would be an understatement. These students from our computer program, pictured below, excelled

Julius Owino of St. Oda Primary School for the Blind led the way with 376 points. Julius has been blind since he was a child. Coming from a low-income family, his parents could only afford regular schools, where he struggled to read and write. This changed in 2016 when a kind stranger offered to pay for his education, and he enrolled at St. Oda Primary School for the Blind.

His ability to read was restored through basic braille lessons and assistive technology in the inABLE program. His academic performance improved almost immediately because his education needs were tailored to him for the first time. Julius now aspires to be a lawyer.

“The computer lab really made my study time easy,” he says of the inABLE computer assistive technology program, which he credits for his academic performance. “I used to spend my evenings in the computer lab reading and researching difficult subjects, even studying ahead of the teacher.”

Julius is in good company when it comes to outstanding performance. The students listed below aimed high and succeeded. They are optimistic about the future:

Alois Ekaran, a 16-year-old low vision student from Meru County’s St. Lucy School for the Blind, received 371 points. He was a top-performing student in computer lessons and a role model for his peers, always willing to assist them. He wishes to work as a software engineer.

Anthony Makosi, an 18-year-old blind student from Kiambu County’s Thika Primary School for the Blind, received 370 points. Despite coming from a poor family, his consistent performance persuaded the school administration to look beyond his school fees. Surprisingly, Anthony learned to solve difficult math problems using YouTube and Google. He wants to work as an accountant.

Ruth Kasyoka, a 17-year-old low-vision student from Kiambu County’s Thika Primary School for the Blind, tied Anthony Makosi with 370 points. She comes from a large family of 16 children, four of whom are blind. Growing up, she faced numerous challenges, but her dedication to a bright future enabled her to overcome them. She credits her excellent English diction to the YouTube lessons she received while working in the inABLE computer Lab. She aspires to be a Social Sciences Lecturer.

John Wambua, a 20-year-old blind student from Thika Primary School for the Blind in Kiambu County, received a perfect score of 360. His father has been his cheerleader since he lost his mother at a young age. He, like Julius, attributes his academic performance to the long hours he spent studying and researching in the computer lab. He aspires to be a successful businessman in the future.

Ray Odhiambo, a top performer from Siaya County’s St. Oda Primary School for the Blind, received 353 points. He is a 20-year-old boy who went blind at the age of four due to an eye infection that resulted in unsuccessful surgery. He wishes to work as a journalist.

In 2017, inABLE opened the most recent assistive lab at Likoni Primary School for the Blind in Mombasa County. Nuru Samuel, who began school in 2005, jumped right into the inABLE program, eager to learn more about computers. She embraced technology and never missed a computer lesson, especially the HTML coding program, driven by passion. She received 276 points, a significant improvement over her previous exam. She aspires to be a lawyer who advocates for the rights of people with disabilities.

It’s incredible to see how much young people can accomplish simply by providing them with the right environment and accessibility tools. We wish them the best of luck as they continue their education. We also commend their teachers for grooming them to be good students and future leaders

Written By Esther Njeri Mwangi, inABLE Public Relations Officer.

Learning for the Visually Impaired Students to Keep Going During Holiday Season.

Schools in Kenya will be closed for the next few weeks for spring break, which typically means that the special education clock will be stopped. Not this year. In order to maintain the learning momentum, inABLE equipped select students in the program with Chromebooks.

Unfortunately, due to a limited supply of Chromebooks, only 30 of the 400 students enrolled were able to take advantage of this mobile computer-assistive technology accommodation.

Thankfully, these home-school champions are eager and ready to assist the other students when they return from their summer vacation.

Written by Anthony Ndirangu, inABLE Homeschooling Project Leader