Education is the only way to win the war against poverty in the marginalised Coast region, Wundanyi MP Danson Mwashako has said.
The Coast Parliamentary Group chairperson said all players in the education sector should team up to push for quality education in both primary and secondary schools.
He said there is need to support bright and needy students to join secondary schools and colleges.
“Our region has been marginalised for a long time and we have an opportunity to think about it. It is important to break the poverty cycle,” Mwashako said.
He spoke during the distribution of bursaries to more than 300 students at Dawson Mwanyumba Stadium in Wundanyi.
Mwashako said the region has the potential to produce top students in the country.
The second-term legislator said concerted efforts have to be put in place to boost learning across all six counties.
“Coast region has in the past produced experts in different sectors in the country. This is clear proof that with good support, our children can excel,” he said.
Mwashako urged coastal leaders to team up to find a permanent solution to the drug trafficking and abuse menace in the region.
Teenage pregnancies and early marriages are a leading cause for school dropouts and dismal performance in the region.
“We have had challenges with school dropouts due to teenage pregnancies, early marriage and drug abuse. Sadly, many students do not complete their studies,” he said.
He asked the six coastal governors to make education one of their key priority areas.
Mwashako stressed the need to award the best-performing learners and teachers to motivate them to do better.
“In my area, we have Boresha matokeo awards meant to fete best performing students and teachers. Motivation is also key to achieve better results,” he said.
Mwashako urged Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu to fast-track the process of listing Wundanyi, Taveta and Rong'e as hardship areas.
He said teachers in some parts of Taita Taveta do not receive hardship allowances despite the National Assembly's recommendation.
More than 1,000 teachers working in the county had in 2019 petitioned the National Assembly over the matter.
They demanded that the Teachers Service Commissions be compelled to pay them hardship allowances.
Mwashako asked other regional leaders to join forces and push the CS to pay the allowances in a bid to cushion teachers from poverty.
He said the disparity in allowances among teachers had negatively affected education in the region.
Khalif Irey, Taita Taveta director of education said the county has registered improvement in the 2023 KCSE examination compared to 2022.
Irey said he is working closely with other stakeholders to ensure smooth running of the education sector in the county.
He urged parents to collaborate with teachers and school heads to improve the quality of education.
