Ensure young mothers, pregnant girls are in class, CAS tells chiefs
What you need to know:
- Education CAS Mumina Bonaya has asked chiefs and their assistants to trace Grade Four, Class Eight and Form Four learners yet to report back to school.
- Asks them to ensure pregnant school girls, young mothers and those who had been married off, also report back to school.
- Pregnant girls will be given requisite support they need to continue with learning.
- Government key priority is safety of learners amid Covid-19 pandemic.
Education CAS Mumina Bonaya has asked chiefs and their assistants to trace Grade Four, Class Eight and Form Four learners yet to report back to school and ensure they resume class.
The administrators have also been asked to ensure pregnant school girls, young mothers and those who had been married off, also report back to school as national assessment for the primary learners is set to start this week.
While it still remains a challenge tracing the learners from Northern Kenya believed to have migrated with their families in search of pastures and water for their cattle, the CAS assured that government had put in place a raft of measures to ensure no child stays at home.
County level
Ms Bonaya, while assessing schools in Isiolo, said various committees had been constituted at the county level to work with stakeholders in following up the learners, and assured that pregnant girls will be given requisite support they need to continue with learning.
“The government is committed to ensuring all children have access to quality education and that is why we are doing everything possible to ensure they all report back to school,” said Ms Mumina when she toured St Paul’s Kiwanjani Primary and Secondary schools.
Accompanied by Isiolo County Director of Education Hussein Koriyow, the CAS asked parents still holding their children at home, for fear of them contracting the deadly Covid-19, to release them to school assuring them that the institutions are safe.
Tracing learners
“Our key priority (as government) is safety of the learners and we have done everything to ensure they are safe. We also don’t want any learner to lose out while others continue with learning,” she noted.
Dr Koriyow said about 80 per cent of the learners in primary and secondary schools had reported back to school, but lamented that it was challenging tracing learners in the remote areas of the county.
His Teachers Service Commission (TSC) counterpart Alex Cheruiyot said teachers were providing daily reports on the challenges they encounter in ensuring learning goes on smoothly.
Appropriate action
Isiolo Deputy County Commissioner Mr Andrew Mutua said a sub-county committee had been constituted and was sitting every morning at 9am to identify learners yet to report back, and taking appropriate action.
“The committee will also go long way in assisting trace the learners yet to report back and particularly those believed to have left their homes in search of pastures for their livestock,” said Mr Mutua.
Isiolo Parents Association chairperson Ismael Galma said parents were struggling to provide masks for their children and appealed to organisations and county government to come to their aid.
