Cultural practices blamed for illiteracy levels in West Pokot

Thousands of children are out of school in West Pokot county, a new report by the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) 2023 shows.

Pokot Central sub-county is the worst hit with low enrolment of girls in schools which has been attributed to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), early forced marriages, parents being unable to pay school fees due to high poverty levels, insecurity and pastoralism way of life in the region.

According to the report, schools in the semi-arid, insecure and remote areas at the county borders are the most affected.

 Among the affected schools are Cheptulel Boys, Chesegon primary, Cheptulel Primary and Fr Leo Staples.

 The report shows that illiteracy levels in the county stand at 67 per cent due to cultural practices such as family set up, beliefs, initiation, early marriages, poor attitude of parents towards education of girls, child labour, gender roles in the society and family economic status.

 Eunice Lopus, Father Leo Staples Girls secondary school Principal said her school has only 140 learners.

 “Parents find it hard to bring children to school because of poverty. Other parents have not embraced education for girls. We call on well-wishers to help,” said Lopus.  

 She said that insecurity issues and hunger brought about by drought makes learners run from school.

 “Parents migrate from one place to another. One time you have learners and another time they are gone,” she explained.

School drop outs

 Pokot Central Sub County Education Director Kennedy Machacha said that measures have been put in place to make learners to ensure learners are retained in school through the school feeding program.

 “We have given out food in schools and children are having their meals. We are now having 35 secondary schools from 22 and 151 secondary schools from 120 in the sub-county which have been included in the programme,” said Machacha.

 Pokot Central Sub County Police Commandant Nelson Omwenga urged parents to take their daughters to school.

 “We don’t want girls to be married off to older men in exchange for cows. It is time our people discard retrogressive cultural practices,” he said.

 Pokot Central Assistant County Commissioner Naftali Kipkorir said that enrolment of girls in schools in the region has gone down due to insecurity issues.

 “As the government, we have put measures in place measures to deal with the challenges. We shall deal with early pregnancies and school drops out among girls. We are not happy about the enrolment of girls in schools. We want parents and chiefs to help us bring children to school,” he said.

 He said Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) are helping in sensitising the community to take girls to school.

 Sigor MP Peter Lochakapong urged parents in the region to give priority to girls in education.

  “A girl child is well placed to bring development to the region. Those who give priority to boys over girls should change. Girls should not go and look after animals and bring wealth in the form of dowry. The girl will get married after one being given 10 cows but she suffers with many challenges in life.” he said.

 He noted that the challenges have adversely affected education standards in the region.

 According to Lochakapong, he has already donated six school buses courtesy of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) to schools in the region and issued bursaries and set up many schools.