CHAPTER ONE I NTRODUCTION The research report was conducted on the topic, parental involvement in the education of children

with visual impairment in Arua district, by Ms INZIKURU ESTHER OBITIA, of Bachelor of Educatioin, Fuculty of Education of Kyambogo University. The study sought to investigate whether or not the parents of the visual impaired children were involved in their education. The study also intended to find out what kind of activities the parents were undertaking to support education of the visual impaired children in Arua district at large. For educating of these children could make them cope up with self sufficiency and independent living. That would ease life for them in today`s society. The study period ran from September, 20ll to June, 20l2. BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY The study was done in Arua district, in two primary schools - Arua Demonstratioin and Ediofe P7, schools that were just lying at adjacent ends to one another , in the East and to the West of rua Town, respectively within a range of a l0-square-kilometer, which could be covered on foot by the researcher that made it possible to carry out this studies well. Secondly the study was conducted in the two schools because, the missionaries established units for serving children with visual impairment in them as well by the time they came to West Nile Region in l9l8. According to the reports from the Ministry of Education, and Sports (page l5), A lot of actions were taken and strategies laid down for the proper assessment, evaluation, monitoring, and modification in those schools, to help educate the children with visual impairment. Scholastic materials and equipment and other necessary facilities were put in place for the same purpose for such children too.

In this way the missioners hoped to make access to quality education for the children with visual impairment in Arua district at large. THE SOCIO-CULTURAL OUT LOOK OF THE LUGBARA PEOPLE Time immemorial, the Lugbara people have been well known for carrying out both good and bad cultural practices based on ill- imagination and superstitions. It was one of the ill-cultures that emphasized to them that, persons born with disability of any nature, meant a an ill omen and a taboo to the family, and this kind of happening made them grow bitter, and drove them to find out what has actually happened in the family. They mostly suspected and blamed the women who were mothers to have had a secret love affairs, with outside partners, or even practiced sexual intercourse proper outside the marriage bond. At other times, they would imagine that, the ancestors have been annoyed by the parents of the children as, they have not been performing traditional rituals, and sacrifices they used to carry out from time to time , to please their small gods traditionally. This meant calling the community together to find solutions once the suspected culprits were found out. If it was not revealed who was to blame, then that particular family lived in shame and under stigma socially, expecting curses to kill one of them to pay for that bad omen, thus creating great fear in the communities in Lugbara land. The fear parents dev eloped in such instances, made even some of them to keep such children with disability, visual impairment inclusive, quite far away from home, or they would be hidden indoors, in the fields, spending the whole day, and kept busy, scaring crows and birds in the gardens in the hide out places so that the public had little to know about them in that family. Some of the parents went even to the extent of killing children with disabilities (visual impairment inclusive). Others went out to the swamps, rubbish heaps, forests, rivers and pit-latrines to dump them off or to strangle them away to get rid of them to avod social stigma. For most of them being primitive about

human value thought those children were valueless in society but regarded only as signs of taboo to the society, as their future was uncertain. If children with visual impairment were left to survive, then they would be mistreated so much that, they lived in misery and denial of justice and had no rights to be heard, loved and cared for by the rest of the family members at large. Most of them would be left alone and to meet their own interests on the high streets, loitering about, shabbily and some of them unclothed, or even wearing rugs, as they wondered from one place to another, seeking for comfort, they were denied from their home by the parents. Generally, people developed a negative attitude about them, so that, they would not be allowed at times, even to express their opinions in society, participate actively in decision making in games, religious affairs, politics, socio-economic activities and so forth, although others of reasonable ages, could have been in position to develop good skills , if given opportunities in undertaking the various activities of life. Even opportunities for recreation for mental relaxation, such as participating in drama, music , and dancing or debates were denied for them, just o make them feel out of place to keep them off from the family enjoyments and entertainments traditionally. As the parents of such children showed them no affection, but were rude to them and abused their rights, most of them died early or even strayed off to live under varrandas, on streets in the towns,and pass byes, to get some help from on passers to survive from day to day. In conclusion, the Lugbara community appeared to have parents that really neglected their children with visual impairment so much that, it could be seen that, those children were discriminated properly so that anybody could have understood their suffering, a condition that required re-ddressing, that attracted also the researcher to undertake this research study.

THE MISSIONARY INTERVENTION INTO THE EDUCATION SECTOR FOR CHILDREN WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENT According to the church reports obtained from Ediofe and Mvara Missions, the Anglican Church of England and the Roman catholic Missionaries had come to West Nile by l9l8. They were interested in teaching religion to the people as well as teaching them how to write and read, so that they built and opened schools for all learners to attend, including persons with disabilities in the district of Arua and other places in Uganda. Hence the finding of those units at Ediofe and later on, one to be found in Arua Demonstration Primary Schools, to help educate children with visual impairment in particular. The misissionaries also intended to enable the children with special needs to fight against the two major difficulties they suffer, passivity and total dependence on others , that made most people run away from them in their own communities. They hoped to provide solutions to those problems that could have hindered their parents from educating them by supporting them in various activities, and on humantarian basis, such as putting special needs- units for catering for such children to make them self-sufficient and sustainable in the long run. For according to John Magne and Bengt Elnerskong, (200l0), involvement of the visual impaired chilkdren in mobility skills, and teaching them self-reliance skills helps them to become self-sufficient and dependable. Despite the efforts made by the missionaries to encourage parents to educate their children with visual impairment, they could not change their negative attitudes torwards their children, so as to allow them access to quality education that was being given to the normal children in the family. So, they continued to deny them justice, and medical care and other basic needs, as they disregarded them being less valuable human beings, since they were ignorant about all human values being equal where by all should have equal rights, to be heard and

treated fairly according to the Rule of Justice (A Living Constitutional Law (l995, and Revised Edition ,l997, of the Republic of Uganda.) Worse still, some of the parents were uncooperative as they refused to cater for their children after taking them to the special needs units, where they abodoned them entirely to the missionaries to cater for. Most of them failed to perform parental obligations such as following their children up during visiting days, buying them uniforms, and even paying just partly school fees and pocket money to assist them learn well in the schools. To sum up to sum up, the parents were backwards and ignorant, so that, with their ill-attitudes, they could not understand the good things that, missionaries had come to do for their children, to make them become free and self-reliant in future. So all the efforts made by the missionaries were invain, as far as involving parents in educating children with visual impairment was concerned. INRERVENTION BY OTHER STAKE-HOLDERS, AND THE NGOS, LIKE THE LIONS CLUB,UNAB, UCD) There were also some prominent bodies of well wishers like the NGOs mentioned above, who came to the aid of the parents, in educating their children with visual impairment, including also some of the business men og Ozoo Brothers of Arua and the people of Bus Companies ile the Gaagaa. They struggled to put in place facilities, equipment, and scholastic materials for some of the children with visual impairment. The parents never appreciated their efforts in supporting to educate their children with visual impairment, also. So th all attempts made by them, proved to yield very little success, in changing the negative attitudes of those parents in handling their children tenderly.

GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION IN THE EDUCATION OF CHILDREN WITH DIASBILITIES (VISUAL IMPAIRMENT INCLUSIVE) Government also provided multipurpose technocrats, trained special needs teachers, and supplied facilities for educating children with visual impairment in different schools, with special needs units in Uganda, including Edioife P7 School and Arua Demonstration P7. School. All that was done, to motivate the backwards parents of children with visual impairment , but all was done in vain. Yet according to (DDA, l995), It was stressed that Organisations of Educational Instituions should make redjustments , under the directives of the Disability Discrimination Act, to ensure that disabled people should not be displaced at substantial disadvantages, as compared to the non-disabled people, even the blind. The l995, Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, points out that, (in Article 30) All should have access to quality education. In article 35, (S.l), it was emphasized that, all persons with disability should have the right to also quality education . Section (l) stresses that, the state should respect the human dignity and make full use of them to realise their mental and physical capacities. The Universal Program for Primary education (UPE) also pointed out the need for basic education for all (l997). The World Conference held in (l994) also stressedso much about the education for the special needs person at Salamangkan. Lastly World Declaration (l990) advocates on education for all learners. All the above quotations show that education is very vital for all, irregardless of physical or mental retardation, since disaility is not inablity to perform well.

As another principle quotation /slogan from the persons with disabilities{PWDs) from Uganda National Union, runs, NOTHING FOR US, WITHOUT US. However, all those emphasis could not be understood by the parents of the children with disabilities, to help them change their attitudes positively towards their own children, to back up their education.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM There appeared to have been a socio- cultural problems affecting the education of children with a disability of other natures such as, children with visual impairment, inclusive in Arua District at large. Those children appeared to have been neglected by their parents as far as the Rule of justice is concerned. Where by education, good shelter, clothing, and medical care, which were the basic needs for any human being were not being adequately given to them. That scenario attracted the researcher who conducted a research study on which to investigate, parental involvement in the education of children with visual impairment in Arua District, in West Nile Region, in Uganda. The main objective of the research study was, to investigate of the kind of activities carried out by the parents to support education of children with visual impairment. Other spefic objectives followed the main objective, as as shown above. Interview was the tool applied for the collection of data in the research study. Only fifty respondents were selected for the study, and were grouped into learners, teachers,and parents.

The expected outcomes of the research, were that there would be a change in the negative attitudes towards the education of children with visual impairment to a positive one. The research study was also to provide solutions to some of the problems that hindered parents from educating their children with visual impairment, amongst others not all brought out herein.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY The Main Objective: 1. To find out about the kind of activities parents undertake to support education of children with visual impairment. 2. Other/Specific objectives included for the study were as below:i. To know what are the factors hindering parents from education of children with visual impairment in Arua district.

ii. To find solutions for the factors hindering parents from involving themselves in educating their children with visual impairment iii. To seek government and other stakeholders support in the education of children with visual impairment. iv. To determine the future prospects of the education of children with visual impairment in Arua District.

l.4

Research Questions

1. In what activities do parents involve in the education of their

children with visual impairment in Arua district?

2. Is there parental involvement in the education of children with visual

impairment in Arua district at large?

3. Are there any factors that hinder parental involvement in the

Education of children with visual impairment?

4. Is it possible to seek government and other Stake holders, support, in

education of the visual impaired children?

5. What is the future prospects of the education of the children

with visual impairment in Arua District.

l.5

Significance of the study The completion of this study was meant to allow the researcher to get a first degree Certificate award , in the course she was undertaking in Special Needs Education, in the faculty of Education.

Secondly the recommendations laid down in the study, could help to push futher the Education of some of the visual impaired children to a higher level if the parents got seriously involved too, after becoming sensitized by the report.

The study outcome was to show parents, their weaknesses, and factors hindering them in education of their own children and how to overcome them.

Stakeholders and the government could be able to see in which areas more Support, could be given to the parents and the children with visual impairment to improve on learning facilities.

Scope of the study (TAKE TO CHAPTER THREE) The study conducted on the topic, investigation on parental involvement in the education of visual impaired children in Arua district, chronologically, ran from the period September, 20ll to May, 20l2. This period was suitable for the study because it provided ample time for research data collection in the field all the way from Arua district. Geographically, the study was done in her home district, to simplify work during data collection from the field, as, as she was able to use the native language on Interviewing the locals on data collection. The focal points for data collection were from the east and west of Arua town, within a distance that could be mad on foot when no means of transport availed itself around for the researcher. Historically, the units built at Ediofe and Arua Demonstrations Primary schools, were among the first to be introduced in West Nile Region by early missionaries, just after their arrival by l9l8. Those schools fell in the interest of the study naturally, as far as support for Education of visual impaired children was concerned in Arua District.

l.7

Definiton of terminology used in the study.

UNAB abbreviation for Uganda National Associatin for the Blind, that supports the visual impaired communities in planning and advocating for the rights of the blind, and who sensitizes them. LIONS CLUB - An NGO that lends hand to support the visual impaired from time to time in Arua District. wHITE CANE, a tool,used by the blind persons during mobility. PARKINGS BRAILLER, a machine that the blind person uses for writing on the braialle papers, by typing on it. MOBILIY, refers to the skills of movements that allows the person to know the movement directions forwards and backwards ands knowing the envioroment in which he or she lives. REHABILITATION, is a way of restoring skills, and abilities, lost due to natural occurrences, accidents, sickness, and nervous defections. STAKE HOLDERS, refers to groups like the Non-Governmental Organisataions.

CHAPTER TWO

RELATED LITERATURE REVIEW Introduction The research report was conducted on the topic, investigation of parental involvement in the education of children with visual impairament, in Arua District. So , the researcher, Ms inzikuru Esther obitia, orgarnised and selected professionally, supoporative date from literature reviews in accordance with the formulated objectives of the study, from various sources of data: (Primary, secondary and tertiary). The researcher conducted consultants, and other writers and even went to the Public and University libraries, to seek for both secondary and tertiary information from several people and places, besides collecting the first hand information of primary sources from respondents, and registers, for this study. 2.1 THE REVIEWS: 2.1 .1 Finding out the king of activities undertaken by the parents of children with visual impairment to support their education in Arua district.

The Mac Millan Advanced Dictionary (2007), defines activities as things that people do. So, some of the activities the parents undertook to sup[port the education of children with visual impairment included the following;- b ought the school uniforms, paid fees, some gave scholastic materials and pocket money to help the children while at school, others at least worked on projects like brick laying for extension of classrooms, and dug in the gardens to raise vegetables for the school for income generation etc.