Headteachers from across West Pokot County convened at Kalya Hotel in Makutano for a meeting organized by the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Youth for a Sustainable World, focusing on strategies to protect learners from social vices and strengthen life skills education in schools.
Opening the forum, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) Deputy Director, Paul Kamas, commended the headteachers for their commitment to shaping learners beyond academics. He noted that students in the region face challenges such as early pregnancies, child labour, early marriages, alcoholism, gold mining, sand harvesting, and exposure to pornography. He urged school leaders to act decisively, stressing that life skills education is as vital as textbooks in equipping learners to resist peer pressure and make responsible choices.
Kamas emphasized that poverty often pushes children into hazardous work, forcing them to miss classes. He called on headteachers to provide mentorship, model integrity, and create safe spaces where learners can report issues and seek guidance. “Leadership is not just about academics; it is about protecting and empowering learners,” he said.
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Facilitators from Youth for a Sustainable World built on this message, highlighting the importance of integrating life skills into the curriculum. Trainer Perece Motoywo underscored the role of assertiveness and refusal skills, noting that learners who can confidently say no are less likely to fall into early pregnancies or substance abuse. Trainer Masika Mwinyi focused on problem-solving and decision-making, stressing that these skills help students weigh options, consider consequences, and choose paths that safeguard their future.
The meeting also emphasized collaboration beyond school walls. Headteachers agreed that parents and communities must be engaged through forums, mentorship programs, and awareness campaigns. Peer-led initiatives were identified as effective tools, with senior learners encouraged to mentor younger students and normalize positive behaviour.
Practical interventions discussed included establishing life skills clubs, monitoring school environments, conducting awareness campaigns, engaging parents on early marriages and child labour, and providing counselling services. Resolutions reached at the forum included prioritizing life skills education, rolling out peer mentorship programs, intensifying collaboration with communities, and strengthening monitoring mechanisms to track learner welfare.
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Kamas applauded the resolutions, urging accountability and follow-up. He reminded headteachers that every learner guided and every skill imparted is an investment in the county’s future.
The meeting concluded with a unified commitment: schools in West Pokot will integrate life skills education, mentorship, and community engagement as part of their strategy to safeguard learners. Headteachers left with practical strategies and renewed determination to combat early pregnancies, child labour, substance abuse, and other social vices, ensuring that education in the county prepares students not only for exams but for life itself.
By Hillary Muhalya
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