Teachers Attitude And Learners With Mental Retardation In Eastleigh Zone, Kamukunji Division, Nairobi District Kenya

ABSTRACT

Learners with mental retardation have probably been the most misunderstood

among all exceptional children, this has resulted in them being denied adequate

opportunities to practice and develop their maximum potentials. Several

derogatory terms have been used to refer to the learners with mental

retardation; idiots, imbeciles, subnormal, feeble, morons and fools among others.

This trend has persisted in spite of the many intervention strategies that have

been put in place in efforts aimed at alleviating the problem.

The objective of the study was to find out the relationship that exists between

teachers attitude and learners with mental retardation in regular schools in

eastleigh zone, kamukunji division, Nairobi district Kenya.

The study adopted a descriptive survey method. It involved a total of 15

teachers from Nyuny~irpu, Daniel Comboni and M. .M Chandaria schools being

represented by 5 teachers. A questionnaire was developed for the respondents.

This instrument covered the following areas; teachers’ knowledge and

understanding on mental retardation, teachers’ knowledge on educational

provision of learners with mental retardation, teachers’ knowledge and

understanding on integration, teachers view about factors that should be put in

place for the successful implication of mental retardation on mental schools and

finding out teachers view on integration.

A majority of the teachers still hold the idea or belief that mental retardation is a

condition caused by witchcraft, showing luck of knowledge as pertains to the

causes of mental retardation. This has led to the conclusion that those under

going the mental retardation should be taught in special schools and not in

regular schools and as such showing teachers perception.

The study recommended that there should be more public awareness campaigns

through chiefs, barazas, workshops, church services to create awareness both at

communal and school levels on mental retardation and other disabilities to help

discard cultural and traditional beliefs. The mentally retarded especially the

audible and trainable should be taken for vocational training to help them in

future; the Teachers Service Commission should also employ more trained

teachers to ease the work load enabling teachers to handle few learners and cater for individual differences among learners with special needs, among others.