Education acting Cabinet secretary Doctor Fred Matiang’i while visiting Mama Ngina girls secondary school in Mombasa on Wednesday. (Photo/Maxwell)
A human rights lobby Haki Africa has said that the Wednesday ‘Peleka mtoto shuleni’ campaign which translates to ‘Take children to school’ at the Coast was long overdue.
Haki Africa Executive Director Hussein Khalid said that when the human rights lobby presented its education research report last week about low form one reporting in Mombasa and other parts of the Coast region it was ignored though according to Khalid, the report represented the reality on the ground.
Speaking in Mombasa on Wednesday evening after Matiang’i launched the campaign after daylong deliberations with education stake holders and political leaders in the region, Khalid said that the human rights organisation has been pushing for education stakeholders forum in the region so as to fast track on education matters but both the National and the Coastal county governments have been ignoring the calls.
Khalid said that the campaign needed more time and all education stakeholders fully involved.
According to Hussein, issues among them poverty, insecurity and poor cultural practices among Coastal communities were some of the factors that contributed to dwindling level of education at the Coast.
“Both the Central and the Coastal county governments know what causes low education levels experienced in the region, they should act and no more boardroom meetings and debates,” argued the renowned human rights activist.
He said that the organisation was open to the political leaders to dialogue on the way forward to ensure children are enrolled in school.
“We fear that our young generation will remain uneducated and all county jobs be taken by people from other counties, we must push the Coastal community to embrace education," added Khalid.
He however appealed to parents in the region to take their children to school and monitor their activities while at school so that they excel and pursue their future careers.
On Wednesday after meeting with Coast governors, County education directors, the Coast regional administration and other political leaders, Education acting Cabinet secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i urged the leaders to take the education campaign ‘Peleka mtoto shuleni’-take children to school seriously and ensure all pupils who did KCPE examination last year and performed well are enrolled in secondary schools.