By Amoto Dennis
Many children in the North Eastern region are not attending classes because their families have migrated to other areas in search of pasture and water for their livestock.
A spot check by Education News in Balambala sub-county revealed that many families moved with their livestock owing to the prolonged dry spell.
“Since the schools reopened, some parents have been coming to us to ask for permission to allow their children to accompany camels and goats,’’ said Ahmed Mohamed, the head teacher of Hagarjerer Primary School.
Mohamed said lack of a school feeding programme had aggravated absenteeism in schools.
He pointed out that although the Ministry of Education had issued a directive that students can learn in any school and sit national exams where they were registered, that has been difficult to achieve in rural Garissa.
“Not only have children gone missing from school, but the Kenya National Examination Council rule that schools must have ten candidates is a blow to schools with less than the required number,’’ he lamented.
Khere Ahmed, the head teacher of Saka Junction School, complained of logistics problems in preparations for KNEC examinations.
He cited high cost of internet and printing exam papers as some of the challenges they are facing in administering the tests.
The first national assessment for Grades One, Two, Three, Five, Six and Seven were expected to run from January 18 to 22 but most schools are yet to start the tests. The exams, which are meant to assess the learners on knowledge of past classes, are funded by KNEC in collaboration with World Bank and Global Partnership for education
