Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has directed the Board of Management at St Mary’s Shohome Girls High School in Kakamega County to ensure that 16 pregnant girls register for KCSE examinations.
According to report in a local daily, the girls were denied to register for the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) examinations for being pregnant. Though the registration time has lapsed, Matiang’i, in a statement said that pregnancy should not hinder any candidate from being registered and the school authority should register those girls with immediate effect.
“Pregnancy should not be a cause of girls dropping out of school. The girls should be enabled to continue school and be given an opportunity to sit for the national examinations if she happens to be a candidate,” he said.
He added that he has asked Kenya National Examination Council Acting Chief Executive Officer to facilitate the registration considering the allowed period had elapsed.
“I would like to assure the girls that they will be registered and they should stop worrying. We have made special arrangements with Knec and you will be registered even if registration time has lapsed,” he said.
Though the girls had dropped out of school the school principal Florence Najoli said that efforts to have them go back to school so they can be registered has commenced.
Matiang’i affirmed that girls in such situations should be given an opportunity to sit for the national examinations if they happen to be candidates.