Education stakeholders from 13 nomadic counties address journalists at Sarova Shaba Game Lodge, Isiolo. They seek to address performance of schools in their regions. [Photo/nation.co.ke]

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Education stakeholders from nomadic counties have gathered in a bid to address the falling standards of education in their areas.13 out of 22 nomadic counties that attended the conference were Garissa, Marsabit, Isiolo, Turkana, Wajir, Samburu, West Pokot, Narok, Homa Bay, Nairobi, Mombasa, Tana River and Kajiado.The forum spearheaded by National Council for Nomadic Education in Kenya (Naconek) is aimed at validating a research and reversing the negative trends on education to ensure that the 22 counties achieve the national and international education targets.Naconek Chairman Chris Galgalo said there is a need for the education stakeholders to identify challenges that lead to poor performance during national examinations.Mr Galgalo said the government and other stakeholders need to address the low education standards in the regions which he said are shocking.“The government and education stakeholders need to be committed to ensuring quality education standards in these regions. We can no longer continue resting while our children perform dismally,” he said.The leaders at the meeting blamed insecurity, retrogressive cultural practices, distance to schools, few institutions, harsh climatic conditions, poverty, understaffing and insufficient resources for the poor performance in the regions.Prof Laban Ayiro noted that dropout rates from nomadic counties were high and urged the government to direct resources to solve the menace.Some counties in these regions are faced with a shortage of teachers that is affecting the education sector.Most families in these regions are herders and during drought, their children are forced to drop out of schools as their parents move to other areas in search of water and pasture for their livestock.“We want to advocate, sensitise political leaders, influence the Ministry of Education, partners, NGOs and the government to improve education standards in the affected regions,” said Prof Ayiro.Low turnout marked the start of the first week of the first term in most schools in Garissa County over insecurity due to Al-Shabaab attacks in the region.