- Migori Deputy Governor Joseph Mahiri has urged residents to embrace alternative livelihoods and keep children in school amid concerns over gold mining’s impact on education.
- Komasincha Primary School head teacher Simon Manganyi revealed that the school has lost many pupils to mining activities, exposing them to child labour and health risks.
Migori Deputy Governor Dr Joseph Mahiri has urged the Kuria community to embrace alternative sources of livelihood and keep children in school amid concerns over the impact of gold mining on education.
Mahiri said poverty and dependence on mining had contributed to children dropping out of school and becoming involved in mining activities. He spoke during a visit to Komasincha Primary School in Kuria West Sub-County, where he handed out shoes to pupils in an effort to motivate them to remain in school.
“I want to encourage parents from Kuria to emphasise the importance of prioritising education over economic activities, such as gold mining, which disrupts academic excellence,” Mahiri said.
He cautioned parents against exposing school-going children to mining, saying minors should be protected from hazardous labour and allowed to complete their education. “I am urging the Kuria residents to embrace responsible mining practices and prioritise education over child labour. I also want to emphasise that mining should remain an income-generating activity for adults, not children,” he added.
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The Deputy Governor said education would provide children with opportunities to become professionals and improve the livelihoods of their families and communities in the long term.
Komasincha Primary School head teacher Simon Manganyi said the school had lost many pupils to mining activities over the years. “The majority of the schoolchildren have been lost in mining activities, exposing them to child labour and health risks,” Manganyi said, adding that the school currently has a population of about 500 pupils but has continued to record significant dropout linked to mining activities in the region.
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Parents at the school received maize seeds to plant during the September–October short rains as part of efforts to strengthen household livelihoods. The provision of the seeds is intended to help families produce food and reduce their dependence on mining as their main source of income.
Mahiri said strengthening household livelihoods would complement efforts to keep children in school, urging parents to view education as a long-term investment and ensure children are not forced to choose between schooling and economic activities. “Mining can provide income for adults, but our children must be allowed to learn, grow and prepare for their future,” he said.
By Kimutai Langat
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