By Kiplat Kapusia
Leaders from pastoral areas in the North Rift region have called on the government and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to set up low cost boarding schools in slums and Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) to boost the education sector and assist learners from poor families.
Speaking at Kacheliba recently, Kapenguria MP Samuel Moroto said that this follows concerns that many children of school-going age from the pastoralist communities and slum areas are still out of school despite the introduction of free primary and subsidized secondary education.
The counties of concern are West Pokot, Turkana and Elgeyo Marakwet where practices like banditry, cattle rustling, early marriages and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) have negatively affected the spread of education.
Moroto said learners from the region come from poor families and there is a need to start schools along the counties’ borders and remote areas to help save the children from the outdated cultural practices.
The MP noted that this will help in accelerating enrolment and retention rates in ASAL primary schools since pupils in these schools are affected by long distance to schools, insecurity, nomadic lifestyle and high poverty levels.
Most residents in the areas – marginalized by former regimes – live in abject poverty marred with high illiteracy levels.The few children who manage to set foot in a classroom face numerous challenges. There are few teachers and limited or no learning materials. All these challenges become a fertile ground for school dropouts and low enrolment.
“West Pokot needs more equipped schools and introduction of feeding programmes. Boarding schools should also be introduced especially for girls to save them from forced marriages. This move would address high dropout rates and children missing schools as they join their families to trek for long distances in search of water, food and pasture for their animals,” said Moroto.
Moroto challenged the county government to reconsider the region and utilize infrastructure funds for schools as most residents have embraced education and children have enrolled in high numbers forcing some school children to learn under trees as the population is overwhelming.
