By Amoto Ndiewo
Kwale County Director of Education Martin Cheruiyot has revealed that ten girls sitting this year’s Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams have delivered babies and resumed examinations.
He said whereas some delivered babies before sitting for exams other were rushed to nearby hospitals while sitting the exams and special efforts were made for them not to miss any papers.
The education chief said that later special efforts included having the young mothers’ breastfeed the babies in reserved rooms in the schools as they sit for the remaining papers.
He added no girl should be denied a chance to write the exams because of pregnancy or even after delivery.
“The focus is to empower both the boy and the girl child to equal employment opportunities through education”, the education boss said.
He said since 2013 launch of Elimu ni Sasa Initiative which sponsors bright and needy children, girls enrolment has been improving in schools.
Cheruiyot said in this year KCSE examination the county registered 7,095 candidates. 3,554 were girls and 3,505 were boys.
“And in this year’s KCPE there were 22,465 candidates of which 11,491 girls sat the exam and the rest were boys,’’ he said, noting that 100 per cent transition rate policy and campaign against teen pregnancy and teen marriage are bearing fruit.
To date 5,200 poor candidates are fully sponsored by Elimu ni Sasa Initiative in various schools.
