Involve schools in food security campaigns, ex-KNUT official tells Govt

Former Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Nyanza region chairman Ndege Oseko has asked the Ministry of Education to harness the potential of school children to enhance food security campaigns in the country.

Oseko who spoke to Education News at his Kiru home at Bokimonge Ward in Kenyenya Sub county was reacting to the recent announcement by Deputy President Prof.Kithure Kindiki that more than 3 million people from some parts of the country are suffering from hunger due to prolonged drought in their areas.

The Unionist now turned a farmer, commended the Deputy President’s announcement to mobilize resources and allocate Ksh 4 billion per month to feed people affected by prolonged drought in some parts of the country but called it a short- term solution that addresses immediate needs of the affected populations. He suggested that to create a more sustainable and long-term impact, it is essential to engage students who form a big population of this county in the initiatives that will promote food security awareness.

He proposes to the Ministry of Culture and Sports to leverage sports, drama and Kenya Music festivals to raise awareness about food security and promote sustainable agriculture practices.

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Oseko who also served as headteacher of several schools and Borabu Ward Councillor said that students can use sports like football and athletics to promote messages about food security and sustainable agriculture. He asked schools to organize football matches where teams wear jerseys with slogans of promoting food security such as ‘Preserve a seed’ ‘Feed your country’ ‘Free Kenya from hunger’ among others.

He also asked teachers to encourage their pupils to walk or involve themselves in events like cycling to promote food security and sustainable agriculture.

Oseko also urged drama teachers to guide societies from perceiving drama and music as mere events for entertainment in order to see it as powerful platforms that can promote food security.

“Arts teachers can incorporate teachers of science and agriculture in the process of their creative work to help them bring out life as they showcase the importance of organic farming on stage.” He said

The unionist asked directors of education at all levels in the county to think of ways of incorporating communities in the school music festival events to enable them learn from established food clubs and ways of enhancing agriculture practices and food security through workshops, training sessions and outreach programmes.

By Enock Okong’o