Testing youth transitions in Kenya: Are young people with disabilities falling through the cracks? Mugo J.K., Josephine Oranga, J. Singal, N.

Background Youth bulge more than half of the world’s population is below the age of 25 years 75% of Kenyans aged below 30, 32% are 15-30 Extremely vulnerable category 67 percent of the unemployed are youth, 92 percent of unemployed youth are untrained 33 percent of all AIDS cases reported are of those aged 15-30 years 23% of girls 15-19 yrs either pregnant with first born or are already mothers

Youth bulge

more than half of the world’s population is below the age of 25 years

75% of Kenyans aged below 30, 32% are 15-30

Extremely vulnerable category

67 percent of the unemployed are youth,

92 percent of unemployed youth are untrained

33 percent of all AIDS cases reported are of those aged 15-30 years

23% of girls 15-19 yrs either pregnant with first born or are already mothers

Youth with disabilities Disability figures vary considerably across documents WHO estimate – 10% have disabilities Critical to understand intersectionalities (age, gender, disability type, schooling profile etc.) NSPD (2008), 3.6% of youth ages 15-24 have disabilities, 4% of 25-34 yrs YWD facing marginalization in all life spheres This paper – examination of transitions – 2ndry data, studies, empirical validation

Disability figures vary considerably across documents

WHO estimate – 10% have disabilities

Critical to understand intersectionalities (age, gender, disability type, schooling profile etc.)

NSPD (2008), 3.6% of youth ages 15-24 have disabilities, 4% of 25-34 yrs

YWD facing marginalization in all life spheres

This paper – examination of transitions – 2ndry data, studies, empirical validation

Perplexity of definitions youth as anyone aged between 15 and 30 years ( NYP 2007 ) Child – anyone under 18 years Childhood and youthhood: boundary? Consensus – youth as transition from childhood to adulthood. Unclear are markers of this transition

youth as anyone aged between 15 and 30 years ( NYP 2007 )

Child – anyone under 18 years

Childhood and youthhood: boundary?

Consensus – youth as transition from childhood to adulthood. Unclear are markers of this transition

Youth with disability and policy Limited documentation of youth status in the colonial era Post independence: deliberate focus on youth 1966 - ‘Education, Employment and Rural Development’ conference 1974-78 3 rd National Development Plan - youth unemployment 1992, a the Sessional Paper No. 2-Small Scale and Jua Kali Enterprises 1997-2001 Development Plan and the National Poverty Eradication Plan 1999-2015 Economic Recovery Strategy for Wealth and Employment Creation (2003-2007). 2005-Ministry of youth affairs, 2007-National Youth Policy, and strategic plan 2007-2012 Though mention of YWD, no clear strategies targeting this sub-category Children Act – mention of disability -no clear commitment PWD Act (2003) – disability issues – no recognition of youth as distinct demographic category

Limited documentation of youth status in the colonial era

Post independence: deliberate focus on youth

1966 - ‘Education, Employment and Rural Development’ conference

1974-78 3 rd National Development Plan - youth unemployment

1992, a the Sessional Paper No. 2-Small Scale and Jua Kali Enterprises

1997-2001 Development Plan and the National Poverty Eradication Plan 1999-2015

Economic Recovery Strategy for Wealth and Employment Creation (2003-2007).

2005-Ministry of youth affairs,

2007-National Youth Policy, and strategic plan 2007-2012

Though mention of YWD, no clear strategies targeting this sub-category

Children Act – mention of disability -no clear commitment

PWD Act (2003) – disability issues – no recognition of youth as distinct demographic category

Conceptualizing youth transitions “ Getting it right today can have huge pay offs, as the next generation of household heads and parents, will have profound impacts on their children” (World Bank, 2006) Transition - not mere biological and/or administrative, rather accompanied by ‘changes in status, both in how we see ourselves as well as how others see us’ (Dee, 2006: 8). Transition subject to cultural contexts ( Leone & Edgar 1990). Dee (2006) - 3 complimentary perspectives to examine transition: (1) phase-related model - transition as a stage (2) agency-related model a degree of agency or control (3) time-related model -development is more than getting older Our conceptualization: 5 youth transitions (World Bank, 2006). transitions that the young undergo in learning, work, health, family and citizenship. Singal & Jeffery – triad – education, work, social participation

“ Getting it right today can have huge pay offs, as the next generation of household heads and parents, will have profound impacts on their children” (World Bank, 2006)

Transition - not mere biological and/or administrative, rather accompanied by ‘changes in status, both in how we see ourselves as well as how others see us’ (Dee, 2006: 8).

Transition subject to cultural contexts ( Leone & Edgar 1990).

Dee (2006) - 3 complimentary perspectives to examine transition:

(1) phase-related model - transition as a stage

(2) agency-related model a degree of agency or control

(3) time-related model -development is more than getting older

Our conceptualization: 5 youth transitions (World Bank, 2006).

transitions that the young undergo in learning, work, health, family and citizenship.

Singal & Jeffery – triad – education, work, social participation

Transition to higher levels of education General constrained transitions, primary-secondary (ca. 50%), secondary to public university (ca.7.5%) more than 90% of children with disabilities not enrolled in any learning program(1999) Immense gains in recent past However, only 10% of those in primary could transit to secondary, and less than 1% into university Example: THB – transition rate of 0.7%. Must be worse for schools for the deaf Issues: Not attaining minimum entry marks, blamed to unsuitable curricula, teacher competence etc Inability to afford fees for secondary and university Low value attached to education in disability

General constrained transitions, primary-secondary (ca. 50%), secondary to public university (ca.7.5%)

more than 90% of children with disabilities not enrolled in any learning program(1999)

Immense gains in recent past

However, only 10% of those in primary could transit to secondary, and less than 1% into university

Example: THB – transition rate of 0.7%. Must be worse for schools for the deaf

Issues:

Not attaining minimum entry marks, blamed to unsuitable curricula, teacher competence etc

Inability to afford fees for secondary and university

Low value attached to education in disability

Youth with disability and transitions to job markets Economic independence acknowledged as a basic entitlement for persons with disabilities NSPD (2008) – 22% of YWD worked for pay. - Survey did not reveal what sectors they worked in, and desegregation in terms of disability categories Issues: Limitations in choice of trades Non-preparation to employment by training preparations Perceptions of PWD as unable to work PWDA - private employer who engages a person with disabilities with required skills or qualifications will be entitled to apply for a deduction from his taxable income equivalent to 25 per cent of the total amount paid as salary and wages to such an employee … employer who improves or modifies physical facilities for the benefit of employees with disabilities will be entitled to an additional deduction from his net taxable income.

Economic independence acknowledged as a basic entitlement for persons with disabilities

NSPD (2008) – 22% of YWD worked for pay. - Survey did not reveal what sectors they worked in, and desegregation in terms of disability categories

Issues:

Limitations in choice of trades

Non-preparation to employment by training preparations

Perceptions of PWD as unable to work

PWDA - private employer who engages a person with disabilities with required skills or qualifications will be entitled to apply for a deduction from his taxable income equivalent to 25 per cent of the total amount paid as salary and wages to such an employee

… employer who improves or modifies physical facilities for the benefit of employees with disabilities will be entitled to an additional deduction from his net taxable income.

Youth with disabilities and social transitions Right of YWD to enjoy adult responsibilities promised in many policies Reality looks different: “ Men may not consider marrying a lady who is blind as beneficial as they cannot do house hold work like washing clothes or cooking. The very few blind ladies who are married are married to fellow blind men, while most men who are blind are married to ladies who are not blind” Through numerous stereotypes, YWD denied opportunity to social participation

Right of YWD to enjoy adult responsibilities promised in many policies

Reality looks different:

“ Men may not consider marrying a lady who is blind as beneficial as they cannot do house hold work like washing clothes or cooking. The very few blind ladies who are married are married to fellow blind men, while most men who are blind are married to ladies who are not blind”

Through numerous stereotypes, YWD denied opportunity to social participation

Falling through the cracks? Despite growing numbers and striking needs, adolescents with disability have historically fallen through the cracks (Groce 2004) policy crack - youth are an amorphous demographic category in policy education system crack - certain hidden discrimination evident in the Kenyan education system employability crack - evident that youth with disabilities lack the competitive edge to access job markets. gender crack - general talk is held about youth and youth with disabilities, with little differentiation between girls and boys, women and men. Girls and women mostly on the losing end

Despite growing numbers and striking needs, adolescents with disability have historically fallen through the cracks (Groce 2004)

policy crack - youth are an amorphous demographic category in policy

education system crack - certain hidden discrimination evident in the Kenyan education system

employability crack - evident that youth with disabilities lack the competitive edge to access job markets.

gender crack - general talk is held about youth and youth with disabilities, with little differentiation between girls and boys, women and men. Girls and women mostly on the losing end

Critical Considerations Policy focus – need for differentiation, policy talks generally about youth, while PWDA has no implementation schedule Strengthening affirmative action – university entry, job markets (especially public sector) e.g. by awarding YWD C+ JAB entry, the 0.7% transition at Thika could have improved to 28% Curricular adaptations – even the affirmative action may not benefit some categories, like the blind and the deaf. Need to adapt curricula and assessment Focus on the especially neglected categories – LD, GT, EBD, CD, Autism Knowledge economies – insisting on dissemination and publishing of findings, sharing forums etc. A lot of research is going on, yet no one knows what’s happening. Question: How can we promote academic dialogue in special education in Kenya? How can the policy makers and practictioners benefit more from our findings?

Policy focus – need for differentiation, policy talks generally about youth, while PWDA has no implementation schedule

Strengthening affirmative action – university entry, job markets (especially public sector) e.g. by awarding YWD C+ JAB entry, the 0.7% transition at Thika could have improved to 28%

Curricular adaptations – even the affirmative action may not benefit some categories, like the blind and the deaf. Need to adapt curricula and assessment

Focus on the especially neglected categories – LD, GT, EBD, CD, Autism

Knowledge economies – insisting on dissemination and publishing of findings, sharing forums etc. A lot of research is going on, yet no one knows what’s happening.

Question:

How can we promote academic dialogue in special education in Kenya?

How can the policy makers and practictioners benefit more from our findings?

Asante