Schoolchildren around Lake Turkana are skipping classes to make money by fishing.
Some boys and girls from the Kalokol region are trying to earn money to buy watches, smartphones, clothes, money for upkeep and cash to watch videos in centres.
Peter Lotiang, senior assistant chief of Namukuse in Kalokol, has expressed alarm over the number of children chucking books for fishing nets.
He said young fisherfolk from Kalokol Centre and Longech Island range in age from seven to 16 years.
“It’s my role to ensure children go school and I have been urging parents to take their children to school," Lotiang said.
"But because of their negligence, boys and girls are still flocking to the lake to trap and wash fish for a certain fee a day," he told the Star.
Lotiang said it’s parents' responsibility to ensure their children report to their school to reduce the soaring number of underage children engaged in fishing.
He said fishing in Lake Turkana pays well and has attracted children from different parts of the county, including street children from Lodwar.
He said young girls spent their energy at the lake washing fish on commission, saying one basin of fish earns Sh300. Boys trap net fish on commission, depending on the size of their catch.
The assistant chief urged teachers to be vigilant and reduce absenteeism.
County Education director Peter Magiri said it's a big problem because when they take children back to school, they soon return to the lake to fish.
“We want area chiefs to educate parents on the importance of their children going to school,” he said.
(Edited by V. Graham)
