Education
The Forum for African Women Educationalists Kenya (FAWEK) has raised alarm that a majority of girls in the region are not enrolled in learning institutions. FAWEK coordinator for Garissa County Harrison Ochola regretted that only 11 per cent of girls in the region were schooling by 2022 adding further statistics reveal that only 20 percent of girls are educated.
Ochola was speaking on the sidelines of a review meeting of the Imarisha Msichana project, an initiative implemented by FAWEK in partnership with the MasterCard Foundation which aims to significantly reduce teenage pregnancy prevalence in Kenya.
Among those in attendance were school heads, teachers, patrons and learners.
He called on the government and non-governmental organizations to fully support girl child education that he said was still low as compared to boys. “When you look at the research that has been done, they are all painting a grim picture of our girls’ education. Their numbers in school are way below, which should worry all of us as stakeholders,” Ochola said.
“As FAWE Kenya we believe that the girl child is still left behind when it comes to education, the reason we are working so hard with the support of other stakeholders to uplift them so that they can be at par with boy child,” he added.
Some of the challenges that continue to hinder girl child education in the county and region at large are retrogressive cultural practices which include early marriages and pregnancies, school dropout and FGM.
Ochola revealed that his team has come up with a programme dubbed ‘TUSEME’ club which is being implemented in schools aiming to give the girls a platform where they can speak out and express all the challenges that they face in their education journey.
He said that part of what they have been doing was to ensure that girls who give birth are re-enrolled in school noting that many times girls who drop out of school for various reasons never return.
To achieve this, he said that FAWEK has been working closely with several partners among them the ministries of Health and Education and TSC and was as well engaging boys and men to not only address the issue of teenage pregnancy but ensure that those who are impregnated continue with their studies uninterrupted.
He disclosed that in Garissa FAWE was operating in eight schools where they have managed to provide them with computers as well as train them on digital skills.
Other interventions taken, he said, include collaboration with key stakeholders in the generation of credible and acceptable data on teenage pregnancies that advises on apt solutions, championing for re-entry of girls to school, and sensitization forums for girls, young women, boys, young men, parents, community leaders on human sexuality and prevention of pregnancy.
On her part Ann Kamau, a teacher and patron at Iftin girls under TUSEME club disclosed that the clubs have been helpful to the students since they are now able to speak out and express all the challenges that they faced without fear.
She disclosed that through TUSEME club, the school has been able to come up with a ‘sisi programe’ which focuses on helping the less privileged in the society get important items like sanitary pads.