According to the leaders, children living with disabilities are often denied education due to a lack of accessible school infrastructure and appropriate learning materials.
Local leaders in Amudat District have raised concerns over the continued discrimination faced by children with disabilities in schools. According to the leaders, children living with disabilities are often denied education due to a lack of accessible school infrastructure and appropriate learning materials.
Additionally, some parents deliberately discourage their children from attending school because of negative traditional mindsets towards education.
Dorcus Chalein, the female councilor representing persons with disabilities in Amudat District, said many disabled children remain at home instead of attending school. Chalein cited that the most affected are deaf and blind children because there are no specialized learning institutions in the district.
She noted that blind and deaf children have little to no opportunity to access education unless partners intervene and take them to specialized schools outside the Karamoja region. “The children are just left at home loitering and it is very unfortunate that these children come from a community that does not value education,” Chalein noted.
Chalein added that the failure to provide education to children with disabilities violates their rights, and urged the government to consider establishing a specialized school for disabled learners within the region.
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Albert Loru, a resident of Looro Sub-county, said the community needs more sensitization on the equal treatment of children at home. Loru noted that some parents view children with disabilities as a curse and often abandon them, leaving them without the special care they require.
He added that in some cases, parents choose to send the disabled child to school while leaving others at home to help with domestic chores. He revealed that the community often believes disabled children cannot add value at home, and sending them to school is seen mainly as a way to attract support from well-wishers.
Loru observed that the most severely affected children are the blind and deaf, as there is no specialized school for them in the area. Children with other forms of disability may get the opportunity to study depending on the family’s willingness.
However, Rev. Canon Jane Chorley, the Head of Education at the Church of Uganda in Amudat, noted that many children are still out of school—regardless of their health status—because parents do not value education. Chorley said that the pastoral nature of Karamoja has led parents to value cows more than education, as cattle are seen as sources of milk and meat—readily available food.
She further noted that poverty and insecurity in the region have also hindered education efforts. She urged those who have had the opportunity to attend school to become role models and encourage others in the community to embrace education.
Chorley acknowledged that while the situation is gradually improving, many children remain out of school, and it requires a collective effort to change this. She said they have introduced a 10 to 15-minute session during church services to educate parents on the importance of sending children to school.
In the Pokot culture, Chorley explained, persistent awareness is necessary for the community to take issues seriously.
That’s why the church has now dedicated a regular 15-minute segment in every service to emphasize the value of education.
“If parents are to embrace education, the church also must speak. I want to tell you that we have many Christians nowadays in church and that is why we integrated these issues of education and other development issues in our sermons,” Chorley said.
Chorley expressed frustration, saying it is surprising that out of 100 church members, fewer than 10 can read and write. She emphasized that the government should continue empowering education officers in every district to engage with communities and convince them to send their children to school.
