Pastoralist leaders have raised alarm over the growing
educational crisis in Kenya’s Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) regions.
According to statistics, an estimated 1.9 million children
are out of school due to the nomadic lifestyle prevalent
in these communities.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of a three-day Pastoralist
Leadership Summit in Wajir Town, Dida Rasso, the Member
of Parliament for Saku and patron of the Pastoralist Parliamentary Group (PPG),
urged President William Ruto to strengthen the National Council for Nomadic
Education in Kenya (NACONEK).
He stressed that NACONEK’s mandate, which was established in
2015 to address education challenges in ASAL regions, must be fully empowered
to tackle the issue of out-of-school children.
“The nomadic lifestyle, which requires families to move in search of water and pasture, presents unique challenges to education. As a result, 1.9 million children across 15 pastoralist counties are missing out on education,” Dida said.
He called for the construction of more boarding schools in
the region to ensure children remain in school during their families'
migrations.
In addition to boarding schools, Dida emphasized the need
for increased funding for school feeding programs, which are essential to
improving retention rates in ASAL areas.
Farah Maalim, the MP for Dadaab and a member of the PPG,
described the large number of out-of-school children as a “time bomb” that
requires immediate action.
He echoed Dida's call for NACONEK to be empowered to
implement the recommendations of the Presidential Working Group, which include
integrating Islamic Duksi education with formal schooling to improve enrollment
levels in certain areas.
Maalim also highlighted the escalating issue of drug
trafficking from neighboring countries, particularly Ethiopia and Somalia,
which he believes is contributing to the high dropout rates.
“Our region is flooded with drugs, and this is a major
driver of school dropout rates. We call on the government and security agencies
to remain vigilant and take action against this growing problem,” he said.
The summit's resolutions also called for the allocation of more resources to programs aimed at improving education access for pastoralist communities and ensuring that no child is left behind, regardless of the challenges posed by the nomadic way of life.
