About 40,000 children in West Pokot County are not in school as has been revealed by the county Children’s Department reports.
The department cites poverty, hunger, insecurity, and retrogressive practices of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), early and forced marriage challenges.
Most of the children aged between eight and 13 years have never attended school.
Banditry activities and the nomadic way of life of pastoralists in the region where parents move from one place to another in search of water and pasture for their livestock have also contributed, while the retrogressive cultures, particularly affect the girl child.
Chairperson of West Pokot Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (KESSHA) Stanley Pilkan said many children have not returned to school for the second term.
“We want the government to ensure that all children are in school.
We need to get clear data of children in school, not in school, and do a return to school campaign so that we have a high completion rate,” said Mr Pilkan.
He urged local administrators to team up with stakeholders to join hands in the effort to increase enrolment and retention in school, suggesting door-to-door campaigns, while urging the government to improve learning and road infrastructure.
He also called on the government, MPs, and nongovernmental organizations to set up more schools in volatile areas along the borders of counties in the North Rift region experiencing insecurity as a long-term solution to banditry and cattle rustling.
West Pokot County Children Officer Phillip Wapopa said they are profiling, surveying, and assessing the plight of the street and neglected children to find a way to help them.
County education Director Simon Wamae urged the government to enforce the law to ensure every child goes to school.
“We should put our energies together to address existing challenges and mobilize resources to support our children,” said Mr Wamae.
By Our Reporter
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