Education authorities in Magarini, Kilifi, have raised fears that the hunger in the county is exposing schoolgirls to sex pests.
The officials said the students are given insufficient supplies and rent cheap
substandard houses in market centres, with minimum parental supervision.
They also said the learners opt to live in the houses claiming this allows them to take up
extra lessons.
Area education officer Stephen Abare said the trend is worrying since the girls end up mingling with boys and older men.
"Most of the time, the girls who lack basic supplies become easy prey for men with disposable incomes," he said.
"It is sad to give a girl only one packet of flour for a whole month. How does such a parent expect the student to survive?"
The issues emerged at a forum hosted by the Constituency Development Fund committee that brought together principals from the area.
Most speakers accused parents of abandoning their responsibilities.
The education officer further noted the girls end up pregnant and drop out of school.
"We are planning to separate the boys from the girls by having them learn in different schools starting January," he said.
Abare noted the subcounty has not had a boarding school
since independence.
"We want the girls to be compelled to be housed in boarding schools to protect them from interacting with outsiders and ensure smooth learning," he said.
The new boarding schools, the official said, will include Galana Boys', Magarini Boys', Mapimo Girls' and Marafa Boys' secondary schools.
Read:
Magarini CDF manager Stephen Charo issued cheques worth Sh.2.2 million that was distributed to all the schools in the sub county.
