More Than 830 School Girls Found Pregnant In Nyandarua County

By Getrude Matayo

According to the latest report by the county administration, more than 830 school-going girls in Nyandarua county may not go back to school after becoming pregnant.

The rise in cases of teenage pregnancy in the county is mainly attributed to the use of social media by the girls, who then access adult content. The situation has also been blamed on poverty, poor parenting, peer pressure, and lack of guidance.

According to Nyandarua Governor Francis Kimemia said the report by the Education executive indicates that these children were impregnated by irresponsible men.

He said in Ol Kalou on Saturday that his administration will join hands with the county commissioner to find the culprits and bring them to justice.

The Covid-19 pandemic has also been cited as a huge contributor to the problem, as it caused the closure of schools since March.

Governor Francis Kimemia added that they have carried research on the number of early pregnant in the county and what they sound was alarming. More than 830 school-going girls had been impregnated.

“We cannot just sit and watch as the cases of child pregnancy escalate without doing anything to secure our children’s future,” he said.

He said all the pregnant girls in the county must be assisted to go back to school and continue with their education after they deliver. He urged all the governors in the country to deal ruthlessly with men who impregnate school girls and those who supply drugs to the youth.

School closure has cut off girls from teachers who can sound the alarm in suspected cases of abuse cases at home.

Students have been also left idle and often unchaperoned by busy parents while the mandatory curfews have trapped girls in homes with predatory members and neighbors.

That schools have been closed for many months due to the Covid-19 pandemic, he said, is not an excuse for irresponsible members of the society to prey on school-going children.

Kimemia further urged the residents to continue observing the preventive measures against Covid-19 to keep themselves and their loved ones safe.

He regretted that as the number of positive cases in the county appears to be skyrocketing again, most Kenyans take it as a joke and have thrown all caution to the wind.