This archive report was first published on 19 July 2020.
Kenya: Ministry Orders School Heads to Collect Data on Pregnant Schoolgirls ¶
On July 14, 2020, the Ministry of Education issued a directive to school heads to collect data on schoolgirls who have become pregnant during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The directive, signed by Basic Education PS Belio Kipsang, requires school heads to work closely with the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government and the Ministry of Health to gather information on the identity and location of the pregnant schoolgirls.
The data is to be collected by July 23, 2020, and will be used to inform the Ministry's intervention on re-entry when schools reopen in January 2021.
However, the directive has sparked confusion and concerns among teachers, with some questioning the feasibility of collecting the data and the potential consequences for the girls involved.
"The purpose of this letter is to have all regions, counties, and sub-counties collect data on girls who are currently expecting and those who have recently given birth and could be potential dropouts when schools reopen," read the circular.
Kenya has recently reported a surge in teen pregnancies and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) attributed to the Covid-19 lockdown.
President Uhuru Kenyatta had directed the National Crime Research Centre (NCRC) to probe the vice in 30 days and report back to him.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education has also directed school heads to ensure that schools are guarded during the day and night, with teachers to be deployed on duty as usual.
However, this directive has been met with resistance from some school heads, who were previously directed to work from home to cushion them from the Covid-19 pandemic.
