The poor level of education of the girl child in Garissa County has been blamed on early marriages.
Garissa Children Rights officer, Nancy Mambili says the biggest problem the girls face is early marriages.
She said this comes about as a result of poverty.
“Most of the parents are not able to sustain the education of their children and as a result, marry off their children,” she said.
Mambili added that the community also contributes to this by not valuing girl education making it hard for girls to complete their education.
“The community supports and does not condemn early marriages that lead our school girls into marriage at a tender age. Some even school in their matrimonial homes at the same time trying to nurse the children which results in poor performance,” said Mambili.
She also blamed the elderly sex pests who prey on young girls.
“We have a problem of girls dropping out of school as a result of pregnancies. The community entertains this and the perpetrators get away with it by paying dowry and marrying the girl,” she said.
“The county government has a duty in fighting early child marriages which are the major reasons for school dropouts among the girls in Garissa,” she concluded.