{
  "id": 5723561,
  "title": "Education ministry to revive special needs education assessment centres",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/05/education-ministry-to-revive-special-needs-education-assessment",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-05T05:47:19.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "KBC",
    "slug": "kbc",
    "url": "https://www.kbc.co.ke/education-ministry-to-revive-special-needs-education-assessment-centres/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Ministry of Education in Kenya is working to revive the country's collapsed Education Assessment Resource Centres (EARCs), aiming to enhance the identification and placement of children with special needs, according to Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba. The restoration effort begins with the renovation of ten regional facilities, as part of a broader initiative to restore all 56 centres across the country. Once prevalent throughout former districts and provinces, EARC operations were abandoned in 2019 and further disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, some centres have been taken over by local schools, like the one at Tom Mboya School for Children with Cerebral Palsy in Mombasa County, where vandalised doors and windows highlight their inadequate state. The government has allocated approximately Sh130 million to restore the first ten regional centres, with additional support sought from partners to complete the restoration of all facilities. This revival is crucial for gathering accurate data on learners with special needs, their disabilities, which range from cerebral palsy to albinism, and for determining staffing requirements, teacher training, and essential equipment. Ogamba emphasized that schools catering to special needs require a teacher-student ratio of 1:4, significantly lower than the usual 1:29 ratio, and highlighted the necessity of trained classroom assistants for individual student support. For higher education, Ogamba clarified that the government is not reverting to the previous funding model for the upcoming academic year but noted that the new funding bill, already passed in Parliament's first reading, awaits a second reading before implementation. Currently, Sh22.12 billion has been disbursed to ongoing students, with first-year funds expected to follow within a week. The application period for first-year students has been extended to September 21 to accommodate around 7,000 applicants among the 202,000 qualified candidates. Regarding Teacher Training Colleges, Ogamba expressed optimism about the new funding model, stating that it has been positively received by stakeholders, as it promotes accessible, equitable, adequate, and sustainable higher education regardless of a family's financial status.",
  "summary": "The Ministry of Education has stepped up efforts to revive the country’s collapsed Education Assessment Resource Centres (EARCs), starting with 10 regional facilities, in a bid to improve identification and placement of learners with special needs, Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has revealed. Speaking in Mombasa on a fact-finding tour accompanied by the Director and Chairman […] The post…",
  "key_points": [
    "Ministry of Education aims to revive 56 Education Assessment Resource Centres across Kenya.",
    "Sh130 million allocated for restoring first ten regional centres.",
    "Special needs teacher-student ratio of 1:4 required for effective support."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The revival of Education Assessment Resource Centres in Kenya means enhanced identification and placement of children with special needs, and informs staffing, teacher training, and equipment requirements for inclusive education.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}