Children’s rights protection groups have been called upon to escalate campaigns against the alarming surge in adolescent pregnancies, a primary cause of girls dropping out of school nationwide.
In an interview with the Education News, a children’s rights advocate and lawyer Lukas Matiko Chacha analysed statistics released by the National Syndicate Control Council recently.
He emphasized that these pregnancies, often resulting in a decline in the girl child’s education, were predominantly caused by rape and defilement by adults, demanding strict legal consequences for the perpetrators.
Analysing recent statistics from the National Syndicate Control Council, Chacha urged the government to take decisive action to curb this disturbing trend.
Despite progress in advocating for girls’ education rights, he cautioned against overlooking the escalating pregnancies, some affecting learners in grade six and below.
“These are criminals impregnating innocent school girls, and they must face the law as stipulated in the penal code,” asserted Chacha, who volunteers in forums educating girls about their rights under the Kenya Evangelical Lutheran Church.
Highlighting data from the statistics, he revealed that Narok County, Tana River, Samburu and West Pokot had 24% of pregnancies among girls aged 10 to 19 while Homa Bay and Kisii stood at 22%.
Additionally, Kitui, Kericho, and Bungoma counties reported 21% each, prompting provincial administration authorities to launch crackdowns to address the issue.
The Narok County Commissioner expressed apprehension about the rising incidents of pregnancies among standard six and lower learners, emphasizing that it jeopardized the education of the girl child.
“There is need for collaborative efforts involving security teams, NGOs, and child rights advocates to combat early marriages and female genital mutilation,” he underscored.
The commissioner further acknowledged a decrease in early pregnancies due to intensified campaigns.
He additionally warned parents and guardians about their responsibility in protecting children, especially in Narok East, where secretive child marriages and FGM persist.
Despite the challenges posed by distance and poverty, the commissioner stressed the importance of parents actively ensuring the safety and education of their children within the framework of free government-provided primary and secondary education.
By Robert Nyagah
Get more stories from our website: Education News
To write to us or offer feedback, you can reach us at: editor@educationnews.co.ke
You can also follow our social media pages on Twitter: Education News KE and Facebook: Education News Newspaper for timely updates.
>>> Click here to stay up-to-date with trending regional stories
