A school principal in Kisii County has appealed to parents and guardians to guide and support their children who get pregnant while schooling.
Emenwa Mixed secondary school Principal, Ibrahim Gekonde noted that some parents tend to reject and abuse their school children when they get pregnant adding that it disorients their education, subjecting the learners to psychological harm and hopelessness.
According to the principal ten girls from the school who sat last year’s Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examination ( KCSE) while pregnant passed the examination and were qualified to join university.
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The principal metioned a case where parents of one of the pegnant students was chased from home when she gave birth and her teachers rented a room for her near the school and employed a maid who cared for the child until she completed the examination.
“Two of the pregnant girls scored a C+ (plus) while the one who gave birth scored a B-. I thank the teachers for sacrificing for the student to exploit her potential” Gekonde told People Daily on phone.
The educator further said that 78 students never turned up for the second term of school after schools were closed for nine months due to the outbreak of Covid 19.
On the other hand, Kisii county Education Board chairman, Prof. Henry Onderi warned proprietors of private schools from allowing learners of Grade four to go to school adding that it is against the directive by the government.
The official noted some proprietors were planning to admit the children, noting they risked arrest and prosecution to deter others.
“The directive is clear and was communicated to stakeholders. You cannot flout the directive and go scot free,” Prof Onderi told People Daily.
He appealed to parents and guardians to inculcate moral values in their children so that they do not join bad companies, abuse drug, and illicit brew and ruin their lives.
