By Amoto Ndiewo
Out of 35,857 students who sat for 2020 KCPE in Kilifi County, only 23,030 have reported to form one in secondary schools across the county.
According to Kilifi County Commissioner Kutswa Olaka, 12,827 would-be form one students have not reported.
Kutswa called on the chiefs and their assistants to pursue students who have not reported to school, saying the administrators should take the names of the students with those of the parents to their respective schools so as to ensure 100 per cent transition to secondary schools is achieved.
He said that his office together with the National Government Administration Officers in line Ministries have launched a joint campaign to trace the students.
“Even teenage mother should ensure they go back to school, because to fall pregnant is not a crime,’’ said the Commissioner.
He said the issue of teen pregnancy poses a serious physical and psycho-social health challenges to the young girls.
“The parents and caretakers ought to report such cases and once in a court of law, tough sentences should be meted out to any man found liable of impregnating teenage girls,’’ warned Olaka.
He said it was unfortunate that the coast region was posting increased cases of teenage pregnancies which disrupt the school girls’ ambition to complete education.
The Commissioner was speaking at Wakala Girls in a stakeholder’s forum where he noted that 16 girls were yet to report to the school.
“If the girls can report to school we can have a conversation of what has made them not report to school, therefore be able to find ways of assisting them,’’ he added noting that it was unfortunate some girls who sat for KCPE cannot be accounted for in Kilifi.
The county chief pointed out that the situation of grinding poverty in the region was unfortunate, saying that the girls are better off in school than being at home.
“Out of school the girls meet all sorts of characters eager to help, use and misuse them,’’ said the Olaka who called on parents, caretakers and society to resume their parenthood role.
