Kenya To Begin Investigations, Arrests As 741 School Girls Are Reportedly Pregnant

Category: Africa News

Education stakeholders in Narok County, Kenya will conduct a one-month Rapid Results Initiative (RRI) drive with the aim of arresting and prosecuting perpetrators of defilement.

This is after it emerged that about 741 school-going girls in the county are pregnant, according to data from the Ministry of Education.

The decision was reached during a consultative meeting at the County Commissioner’s boardroom that was presided over by Narok County Commissioner Isaac Masinde and attended by eight deputy county commissioners, the County Director of Education, and the County Director of Gender.

Also in attendance were the senior counsel from the Office of Public Prosecution, the County Police Commander, representatives from the Judiciary, the County Director of Health, the County Children Officer, and the County Information Officer.

The County Director of Education Jane Njogu said 332 girls in primary schools are pregnant while another 409 students below the age of 18 years are pregnant in secondary school.

She added that Narok South was leading in girls’ pregnancy with 149 girls, followed by Narok Central at 140 while Narok West sub-county had 124 pregnant learners.

“I believe the problem with our society is with the culture that allows girls to engage in sex after they undergo Female Genital Mutilation (FGM),” observed Ms. Njogu.

She reiterated that some principals are not willing to disclose the number of pregnant girls in their schools and instead collaborate with the parents not to reveal the men responsible for the pregnancies.

Narok County Health Director Francis Kiio said approximately 900 girls visit various health facilities in the county for their first antenatal clinic every month.

“This means there are 900 new cases of pregnancy among girls aged below 18 years every month. Some of these girls are still in school while others have dropped out of school,” he said.

County Commissioner Masinde directed the education department to champion the creation of guidance and counseling sessions in all schools where the students will be taken through thorough sensitization programmes.

“The number could be more as we believe many cases are not reported. This is very scary and we all have to bring our efforts together to eradicate girl pregnancy,” said Masinde.