Challenges Affecting The Rights To Education Of Mentally Retarded Children In Primary Schools In Mbale Municipal

ABSTRACT

The study set out to investigate and asses the challenges affecting implementation of the

right to education of the mentally retarded children. It was guided by the following

objectives; to identify and asses the strength of relevant international, regional and

domestic human rights instruments enhancing the right to education of mentally retarded

children, to carry out a situational analysis of the implementation of the inclusive

education in the mainstream schools and include the variation as regards the right to

education of mentally retarded children; to examine the policy questions relating to the

mentally retarded children; to examine the policy questions relating to the mentally

retarded children's right to education and to suggest recommendations on how best the

right to education of mentally retarded children can be eajoyed.

From the study, it was concluded that the mentally retarded children existed and were

experiencing a series of challenges. The study also concluded that, there are many

unanswered questions in relation to the policy guidelines and implementation of the

protection of the right to education of the mentally retarded children. As far as the

existing policy guidelines and human rights instruments on the mentally retarded children

were concerned, the study concluded that, the policy stressed the fact that the right of the

mentally retarded children to education must be protected, the school administrators are

assigned the responsibility of identifying and recording the mentally retarded children,

establishing the extent of mental retardation as well as assisting the mentally retarded

children in their challenges. It was also concluded that there are a number of reasons why

the mentally retarded children are often excluded from enjoying their right to education.

On the strategies for the mentally retarded children the study concluded that, the situation

of the mentally retarded children is something that can be managed.

From the conclusions, the researcher recommended the need to provide counseling

services to the mentally retarded children, the need to enhance the implementation of the

policy on the rights of the mentally retarded children, the need by the schools

management and the Government to work hand in hand to resolve the problems of the

mentally retarded children where they are not satisfactorily eajoying their right to

education. The study also recommended that the government adopts the normalization

policy to ably promote and protect the right to education of the mentally retarded children