Adaptive Physical Facilities and Academic Performance of Learners with Physical and Visual impairments in Public Comprehensive Schools in Kakuma Refugee Camp, Turkana, Kenya

Author: Dorcas Akinyi Sewe, Dr. Rose Atoni, Prof. Jennifer Munyua

Date: 2026

Abstract: Theory and guided by a convergent mixed-methods design, the study targeted 21 public comprehensive schools, 957 learners with physical and visual impairments, 116 teachers, 21 heads of institutions and one Quality Assurance and Standards Officer. A sample of 19 schools, 282 learners, 90 teachers, 19 heads of institutions and the Quality Assurance and Standards Officer was drawn using stratified, simple random, purposive and census sampling techniques. Data were collected through questionnaires, in-depth interview guides, an observation guide and a document analysis schedule, and were analysed using descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages) and a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The findings revealed that a considerable proportion of schools had made progress in providing ramps, handrails, adequate lighting, spacious classrooms and adapted toilets, yet specialised provisions such as adjustable furniture, levelled playgrounds, tactile pathways and mobility aids remained inadequate in a substantial number of schools. Qualitative accounts from Heads of Institutions and the Quality Assurance and Standards Officer confirmed that adaptive infrastructure improved attendance, mobility and participation, but that sustainability was constrained by inadequate financing. Inferential analysis established a statistically significant difference in academic performance across school categories based on the provision of adaptive physical facilities, F(2, 279) = 18.742, p < .001, leading to rejection of the null hypothesis. The study concludes that adaptive physical facilities are a critical determinant of academic performance among learners with physical and visual impairments and recommends increased and sustained investment in adaptive infrastructure by the Ministry of Education, county governments, humanitarian organisations and development partners.

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