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Traumatized Lang’ata pupils to receive counseling

January 21st, 2015 1 min read

The Ministry of Education will send a team of professional counselors to Lang’ata Road Primary School to assist children in the school to deal with the trauma they underwent during Monday’s confrontation with the police, the Principal Secretary, for Education, Dr Belio Kipsang has said.

The confrontation that saw members of the civil society joining hands with the pupils in protesting over the grabbing of the school’s playground by a private developer, resulted into the police teargassing the pupils.

In the ensuing fracas five children and a police officer were injured with the chaotic scenes spilling over to Lang’ata Road.

TERRIFYING EVENT

Speaking on Wednesday when he toured the school, Dr Kipsang with his counterpart from the Ministry of Science and Technology, Prof. Collette Suda said said the Ministry, would work together with the Kenya Human Rights Commission, to help the children to overcome the trauma they went through following the violent encounter.

Assistant Director in charge of Counseling Services in the Ministry of Education, Mrs. Ruth Nyambura said counseling is important to avoid post-traumatic stress disorders —a mental health condition that’s triggered by a terrifying event — either experiencing it or witnessing it.

“The children are likely to be having sleep disturbances, nightmares, and loss of appetite and needs psychological debriefing to overcome the experience,” Nyambura said.

She said symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event.

Also present during the visit was the Secretary, Kenya Human Rights Commission, Mrs. Patricia Nyaundi.