By Our Reporter
Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) Mr. Ezekiel Machogu has said that the Government is committed to undertake measures to address problems hampering access of children to equitable quality education in Arid and Semi-Arid (ASAL) areas in the country.
He spoke when he met the members of Kenya Pastoralist Parliamentary Group (KPG) in his office today.
Mr. Machogu said the government has established the National Council for Nomadic Education in Kenya (NACONEK) to provide structures and support education in all ASAL and marginalised areas.
He said the government runs the School Meals Programme which he said helps to attract and retain children and are able to learn in the area.
The CS said the government was exploring ways of providing opportunities for prospective teachers from the area, training and deploying them to the region to address the severe teacher shortage in the region.
He also revealed that the Ministry of Education was working with the Ministry of water to dig boreholes in schools in the region to enable learners to secure reliable sources of water while at school.
The Principal Secretary for the State Department for Basic education, Dr. Belio Kipsang allayed fears that children from pastoral communities were denied opportunities to be admitted in National schools.
“The top five KCPE candidates from every sub-county are admitted into schools of their choice,” Dr. Kipsang said, adding that the policy has ensured that top learners in KCPE can be admitted into National schools from each sub county.
The Principal Secretary for University Education and Research Dr. Beatrice Inyangala advised the members to sensitize their Constituents about the Scholarship the Ministry provides in partnership with foreign governments.
She said the Ministry received scholarships for bright students but only those who applied for them were considered.
The Principal Secretary for Vocational and Technical Training counterparts, Dr. Esther Muoria assured them that the government programme to Technical Training institutes would benefit their
respective Constituencies.
KPG Patron, Hon Col (Rtd) Ali Raso Dido, who led the delegation, said that prolonged drought in the area had adversely affected delivery of education services in pastoral communities.
He said school feeding programmes in ASAL areas helped to attract and keep children in school, saying, however, that teacher shortage in the area compounded access to quality education.
Present during the occasion were the Chief Executive Officers of National Council for Nomadic Education in Kenya (NACONEK) Mr. Harun Mohamed Yusuf and the Director for Primary Education, Mrs. Nareah Olick.
