Narok Women Representative Rebecca Tonkei has raised alarm over the rising cases of teenage pregnancies among school-going children in the county, terming the trend a serious threat to education and future development.
Speaking during a public forum, Tonkei expressed concern that the high rate of teenage pregnancies continues to compromise education standards in Narok. She called on leaders, religious institutions, opinion shapers, and all stakeholders to intensify advocacy for the rights of the girl child so that no child is left behind in education.
She further urged government agencies to take firm action by arresting and prosecuting those responsible for impregnating minors, stressing that protecting children is not negotiable.
“It is totally shameful to see our county leading countrywide in terms of teenage pregnancies. The high number of pregnant girls who drop out of school is worrying and we should start taking the education of the girl child seriously,” said Tonkei.
The Women Representative appealed to parents to nurture their children in a morally upright manner and take greater responsibility for guiding them.
She noted that poor parenting had contributed to the rising cases of early pregnancies and school dropouts across the region.
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“It is now time for the parents to start playing their role in their children’s lives by guiding them to success and not neglecting them. They should stop blaming teachers for their failures, yet they also failed in the upbringing of their young ones,” she said.
Tonkei also challenged leaders to be role models by offering free career guidance and mentorship sessions to schoolgirls.
She warned that Narok risks importing skilled workers from other counties if its own children continue dropping out of school because of teenage pregnancies and harmful practices such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
According to Tonkei, all leaders have a better chance of sensitizing communities on the need to educate girls because they understand the local cultures that hinder girls from staying in school.
“We should not give up advocating for girls’ education. We should join hands in fighting practices like Female Genital Mutilation, early child marriages and teenage pregnancies that see girls drop out of school,” she said.
By our reporter
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