Magoha Starts Another Drive Targeting 250,000 Kids Out Of School

A new program designed to get 250,000 out-of-school children back into school by the end of 2023 has been launched today the 19^th of October 2021, by the Government of Kenya and UNICEF, in partnership with Educate A Child, a program of the Education Above All Foundation (EAA), with support from Qatar Fund for Development. Called ‘Operation Come to School, Phase Two’,

The initiative is targeting children aged 6 to 13 years in 16 counties where children are most at risk of dropping out of school.

The launch comes as a new baseline survey by the Kenyan Government, UNICEF and the National Council for Nomadic Education in Kenya (Naconek) in the same 16 counties found that pregnancy, child marriage, and child labor are the primary reasons why children leave school.

The counties include: Baringo, Bungoma, Garissa, Isiolo, Kajiado, Kilifi, Kwale, Mandera, Marsabit, Narok, Samburu, Tana River, Turkana, Wajir and West Pokot, as well as Nairobi informal settlements.

“Every child in Kenya has the right to an education, as enshrined in the Kenyan Constitution. The longer children are out of school, the harder it is for them to get back to learning. We must do everything possible, as quickly as possible, to get those children who are out of school back into class.” Said Cabinet Secretary for Education Prof. George Magoha during the launch of the program.

The first phase of ‘Operation Come to School’  enrolled almost 350,000 out-of-school children from 11 counties between 2015 and 2019. Phase Two is now aiming to increase the enrolment and retention of primary school-aged children, including girls and children with disabilities.

Approaches will include community mobilization, cash transfers, and educational supplies to support families, teacher training, and generating new evidence and policies.

“EAA is happy to be embarking on the second phase of this project in Kenya, through its Educate A Child Programme.  Together with our partner UNICEF, we will support government efforts in-country to ensure that many more children, particularly those out of school before the pandemic, are allowed to realize their right to a quality primary education, no matter their circumstances.” Said  Mary Joy Pigozzi, PhD., Executive Director, Educate A Child.

UNICEF reports that almost 1.13 million children of primary school age 6 – 13 years old are out of school in Kenya.

This is according to an Out-of-School Children Initiative study conducted in Kenya in 2020. The situation has worsened due to the impact of COVID-19 related school closures, followed by drought in many of the focus counties.

As part of the baseline research conducted before the start of the program, UNICEF says that more than 2,500 children, caregivers, headteachers, and education officials were surveyed on the causes of school dropout in the 16 counties and various factors such as teenage pregnancies, early marriages, child labor negative attitudes, poverty, insecurity, and nomadic lifestyles emerged as the major contributing factors.

Maniza Zaman added that the research confirms children who are not in school face a multitude of dangers and so it’s our responsibility to turn it around by getting children back into the protective environment of schools and providing them with the support they need to fulfill their potential.