Education Cabinet Secretary Professor George Magoha says he is lobbying President Uhuru Kenyatta and the Cabinet to block access to pornographic sites.
Magoha said he advocates a total ban on porn sites as a measure to protect children from harmful content.
ICT Secretary Joe Mucheru recently ordered the Communication Authority (CA) to explore ways pornographic content could be controlled,
The Education CS blamed the pregnancy crisis among schoolchildren on easy access to porn by young girls and boys adding that most of the pornographic websites were easily accessible for free via mobile phones and computers.
Cases of teenage pregnancies have spiraled following the closure of schools by the government on March 14 as a way of containing the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Speaking when he toured Nakuru Girls High School to assess their preparedness for reopening scheduled for September 1st, Prof Magoha who was accompanied by Principal Secretary Dr Belio Kipsang also blamed parents for abdicating their responsibilities in the reported teenage pregnancy cases in parts of the country.
He said teenage girls are exposed to sex pests since parents and guardians had failed to monitor them closely.
Prof Magoha put sex pests on notice and vowed to ensure that police officers and local administrators who failed to act quickly in defilement incidents are not spared.
While faulting statistics issued by various organizations and entities on teenage pregnancies and terming them exaggerated, Professor Magoha said his Ministry was conducting an independent audit of the figures.
He warned that individuals out to make ‘a kill’ from the inflated figures by sourcing for local and international funding would be subjected to the due process of the law.
It was a relief for parents and learners after Professor Magoha announced that the school syllabus in both Primary and Secondary schools will resume from where learning stopped after the abrupt closure of schools.
He said before institutions reopen the Ministry will put in place measures that will ensure social distancing and high hygienic standards in all schools in the country.
Professor Magoha said his Ministry was working with the National Youth Service in creating prototype masks that will be issued free of charge to all pupils in the country. He said the national government will also ensure that all institutions have reliable and adequate supply of water and sanitizers.
He assured parents that national examinations will be conducted before April next year.
By Anne Mwale
Magoha lobbies President and cabinet to ban pornographic sites in the country
