• More adults are turning up at education centres as county fights 67 per cent illiteracy
Faced with a high illiteracy level of 67 per cent, West Pokot has set up 277 adult learning centres, where more than 10,000 adults have enrolled.
Governor John Lonyangapuo said he does not want anybody to be left out in the learning programme.
“The young ones have peace schools set up for them and the aged have learning centres to ensure they known how to read and write before my term ends,” he said.
“I want to ensure illiteracy levels reduce. That’s why we have turned our nursery schools into adult education centres in the afternoon.”
In 2019, more than 2,300 adult education learners from West Pokot sat the proficiency exam to help them further their studies.
Lonyangapuo said for the past two years, the county has recorded high numbers of adult education learners after it set up adult learning centres.
Out of 2,300 learners who sat the exam, 1,489 passed and will now move to next level. They can now join formal learning, where they can sit national exams.
“Others will join vocational centres to learn skills that will enable them to earn a living,” he said.
The governor urged learners to be consistent in attending classes so they can pass their exams.
“Most of the learners don’t come to school daily and this has hindered some of them for passing the proficiency exam,” he said.
One of the learners, Joshua Akolem, said most learners are unable to attend classes daily since they need to look for food to feed their families.
“Most of the learners are parents and they need to juggle between taking care of their children and attending school,” Akolem said.
He also that some learners have abandoned school and moved with their animals in search of pasture and water.
He urged the county government to employ mobile adult education mobilisers to enable them move with the learners during dry spell.
Edited by T Jalio