By Geoffrey Oleketere
Education stakeholders in Narok County have resolved to conduct a month Rapid Result Initiative (RRI) with an aim of arresting and prosecuting those defiling school going children.
The stakeholders arrived at their decision after data from the Ministry of Education revealed that the county had reported over 741 cases of teenage pregnancies.
County Education Director Jane Njogu pointed out that from the number, 332 are in primary schools while the remaining 409 are in secondary schools.
Speaking during a consultative meeting at the county commissioner’s boardroom, Njogu noted that Narok South sub county had the highest number of teenage pregnancies at 149.
It was followed closely by Narok Central, Narok West, Trans Mara West, Narok North, Narok East, Trans Mara South and Trans Mara east at 140,124,81,60,66,67 and 54 respectively.
Ms Njogu faulted the high teenage pregnancy rate to the culture that allows girls to have sex after undergoing Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
She expressed concern that some principals are not willing to disclose the number of pregnant girls in their schools and instead collaborate with the parents to hide the men responsible for the pregnancies.
Narok County Health Director Francis Kiio revealed that approximately 900 girls visit various health facilities in the county for their first antenatal clinics every month, adding that some of the girls are still in school while others are drop outs.
County Commissioner Isaac Masinde, who chaired the meeting, directed the education department to champion for the creation of guidance and counseling sessions in all schools to help in sensitizing students against early pregnancies.
“The number could be more as we believe many cases are not reported. This is very scary and we all have to come together to eradicate teenage pregnancy,” he said.
He revealed that they will engage school principals to mould the young children and guide them on sexual matters since it has come to their notice that some minors are impregnated by their fellow minors hence weakening the case in the court of law.
Already, more than 66 people have been remanded while 90 other people have been
convicted by the courts for defilement in the county.
In 2014, Narok County was named by the Kenya Health Demographic Survey as the leading county with teenage pregnancy at 40 per cent against the national average of 18 per cent.
County Director of Gender, eight deputy county commissioners, the senior counsel from the Office of Public Prosecution, County Police Commander, representatives from the judiciary, County Children Officers and County Information Officers graced the meeting.
