This archive report was first published on 29 September 2019.
Ending child marriage and teenage pregnancy in Kenya requires a multifaceted approach, according to experts. In Machakos County, Director of Education, Mrs. Shamsa Adan Mohammed, has highlighted the need for education to break the vicious cycle of poverty perpetuated by these issues.
Speaking at Makivenzi ABC Girls Secondary School during a joint mission to assess the preparedness of counties in implementing the Secondary Education Quality Improvement Project (SEQIP), Mrs. Mohammed emphasized that access to education is the surest way to overcome poverty.
The project, funded by the World Bank to the tune of Shs.20 billion, aims to improve student learning and transition from primary to secondary education in 110 disadvantaged sub-counties across 30 counties.
Under the project, Class 7 and 8 students, as well as Forms 1-4, have received textbooks in Mathematics, English, and Science subjects, achieving a student-textbook ratio of 1:1. The Kenya Institute for Curriculum Development (KICD) has also received technical support in developing a Competence-based curriculum for grades 4, 5, and 6.
Additionally, schools in the target regions are set to benefit from infrastructure support, including classrooms, science laboratories, libraries, toilets, water facilities, and electricity. A scholarship program has also been embedded in the project to enable vulnerable students to complete secondary school.
