Lawmakers say 850,000 children out of school in North Eastern

Eldas MP Aden Keynan and other North-Eastern leaders during a media briefing in Mombasa on October 13, 2024, where they demanded development and an end to marginalisation. [Robert Menza, Standard]

Lawmakers from North Eastern Kenya want the government to mop up at least 850,000 children who have dropped out of school in the region.

The MPs claim that the region faces huge shortcomings in human capital development due to insufficient infrastructure and security related challenges.

The lawmakers also want Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to hire unemployed teachers from the region to address shortage they say is disenfranchising local children.

The Members of Parliament, who converged in Mombasa for the last three days in a conference attended by North Eastern professionals, also lamented about infrastructure and security-related challenges affecting school-going children.

"The region faces huge shortcomings in human capital development with over 100,000 children out of school due to insufficient infrastructure and security-related challenges. We demand that the Teachers Service Commission deploy all the teachers who have been trained and are currently jobless in the North Eastern region," reads a statement signed by MPs Farah Maalim (Dadaab), Adan Keynan (Eldas) and Salah Yakub (Fafi).

The conference resolved to strengthen adult education programmes and revive low-cost boarding schools. For ages, North Eastern has faced teachers’ shortage over insecurity, with many from other regions often keeping off.

TSC has also been reluctant to deploy non-native teachers as they are usually the targets of terrorist attacks by Al Shabaab militants and allied groupings. Attendees of the retreat committed to supporting counter-extremism efforts.

The MPs also sought an audit of the 85 per cent national government sharable revenue to ensure the region gets its fair share of funding.

"We intend to develop a comprehensive masterplan for the North-Eastern region that aligns with national development goals while addressing the unique challenges and opportunities in Wajir, Garissa and Mandera counties," the statement adds.

"This masterplan will serve as a strategic blueprint for economic growth, infrastructure development and social progress. The aim of this masterplan is to come up with a sessional paper that shall guide and shape The National Policy of North Eastern Kenya to realize our full potential."

Other resolutions include enhancing advocacy for a region they said had been marginalised since independence, even as they opened their doors to partnerships with other communities.

"The caucus of MPs from the North East will continue to engage actively with the national government and other key partners to advocate for increased investments in crucial sectors such as infrastructure, water, energy, security, education, healthcare, and climate resilience," the statement added.

On economic empowerment, the MPs championed more investment in the livestock sector, seeking more budgetary allocation for the sector.

They also urged a public medical insurance programme for the North Eastern region, more electricity coverage, enhanced road infrastructure and water supply.

"Increase access to water by constructing one mega dam for each county and a medium-sized dam for each constituency in the region... The same will address the ever-present water needs for both humans and livestock," they added.