Concern Over High Number of Girls School Dropouts in Narok South
Education stakeholders in the Loita district of Narok South Sub-County have expressed worry over the low number of girls in the area who complete secondary school.
Speaking to journalists in the town of Narok, the stakeholders urged parents to support the education of their daughters by encouraging them to remain in school and providing them with all the necessary support.
Loita Ward Dominic Shuma, a member of the County Assembly (MCA), stated that he will assist girl education by ensuring that poor girls receive bursaries and advocating for the repair of facilities in the Girls’ high schools in the region.
“We want all the girls who enroll in grade one to complete form four and join tertiary colleges. We know that if we empower girls, we have empowered the whole society,” said the MCA.
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), early marriages, and adolescent pregnancies are examples of backward cultural practices that undermine education, which Shuma urged society to abandon.
“The girls too have individual responsibility of working hard in school and keeping off from bad friends who influence them to drop out of school. We want our girls to know that they too can make it to be professionals and become important people in the society,” he said.
Moses Tumpes, the principal of Emurua OleRai primary school in Loita ward, expressed worry over the little number of girls who complete grade eight compared to the large number of girls who enroll in grade one.
Tumpes reaffirmed that girls had the same right to study as boys and reminded parents that it was illegal to marry off their daughters at a young age.
“We will not relent on advocating for the rights of a girl child. You never know which child is more talented in education. Maybe the girl child will bring more fortunes to your family than the boy child,” he said.
According to research conducted by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and the government of Kenya in 2021, Narok South Sub County has 10,580 children who were not in school.
The sub-county was followed by the sub-county of Narok West at 9,590, while the sub-county of Narok East had 3,680 school-aged children who were not in school.
Concern Over High Number of Girls School Dropouts in Narok South
