Love bug & baby fever attacks candidates in Kajiado county

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It’s a sad reality for Kenya that in 2018, when women all around are being empowered, there are girls in some parts of the country that will not finish their secondary school education because of early marriages and teenage pregnancies.

This shocking revelation comes after at least 55 candidates in Kajiado County failed to turn up for their Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations. But that’s not all… What is even more disturbing is that, out of the 199 students who failed to sit for their Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE), half of them were girls.

 

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The Kajiado County Commissioner, David Kipkemei attributed this statistics to early marriages and the rise in the number of teenage pregnancies.

“This is something we are following closely because we are suspecting that early marriages could be the most likely reason as to why a high number of girls did not sit their exams. I suspect most of them were married off before the exams or were impregnated and felt ashamed to come and sit for their papers,” the commissioner said.

Kipkemei termed the situation as saddening especially for a county that is struggling to improve the education system and fight traditional practices which hinder the progress of the girl child.

 

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The County Commissioner called on professionals, churches and other stakeholders to join hands with the government to fight early marriages and female genital mutilation among children.

“The government alone, without the goodwill of the residents, cannot end such practices. We need everyone to come on board and stand with us,” Kipkemei said.

Kajiado County Director of Education; Shamsa Adan also said that Kajiado is probably the county with the highest rate of pregnancy among school girls in the whole country.

“Pregnancies among school-going girls in Kajiado are alarming especially in the interior areas of Loitokitok, Mashuuru and Kajiado West,” she said.

Several people have been  arrested in connection to early marriages in the county with Kipkemei assuring Kajiado residents that he is committed in ensuring that all perpetrators are brought to book.

” I will be very harsh to the individuals that are still practicing this outdated norms including those that have escaped and are seeking refuge in the neighboring country Tanzania because, after all they will still come back,” Kipkemei said.

 

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This comes after the Cabinet Secretary for Education, Amina Mohamed ordered the quality assurance team in the Education ministry to investigate and file a report of all cases of pregnancies among school girls. The move will enable the ministry to outline measures to curb such cases which according to the CS is a national crisis.

 

Practices like FGM and early marriages are cultures that are deeply rooted in most communities in Kenya. What do you think can be done to sensitize and educate those who still believe in these practices?

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