ABSTRACT
Learners who are mentally retarded like any other handicapped learners are faced by so many challenges. These challenges affect their performance in self help skills and other cognitive abilities. The researcher wanted to carryout a research to find out the challenges facing these particular learners in special schools and units in the whole Mwingi district. The researcher prepared and used questionnaires for teachers and interview guides for the parents to collect data. He applied survey method in collecting the data and used quantitative approach in his study. Although there are above seven programmes in the district offering special needs education, the mentally retarded children takes the largest share. The researcher collected the data from one school for the mentally handicapped and three special units for the mentally challenged learners. The data was collected from parents and teachers who are the key mentors of these learners. After presenting and analyzing the data the researcher found that the mentally retarded learners are faced by so many challenges ranging from negative attitude from both parents and teachers, lack of adequate funds and /earning materials to unpredictable food supply. In order to alleviate these challenges,, the following conclusions were made. There should be awareness meetings to alleviate negative attitude among teachers and parents. Provision of enough founds to run institutions smoothly. Training of enough qualified personnel to handle the mentally challenged leamers.
