Efforts by the government in North Eastern region to mop up students who had not reported for form one and grade 7 have yielded fruits, resulting into an increase of transition rate from 83.4 percent to 96 per cent.
Already, Mandera and Wajir counties have achieved 100 per cent transition rate, while Garissa is lagging behind at 88 per cent, representing 1,418 students who are yet to join form one.
Fafi and Bura east sub counties in Garissa have already achieved 100 per cent reporting rate for Form one students, especially with zero fees program being championed by Fafi MP Salah Yakub, where students apart from having their total school fees paid, also receive school uniforms, boxes, shoes and other personal effects.
Speaking in Dadaab town during a meeting with the National Government Administrative Officials from Fafi, Dadaab and sub counties, North Eastern Regional Commissioner John Otieno urged local chiefs and their assistants to put more efforts to ensure that the remaining students report to school by Monday next week.
Otieno warned that letting students roam in the villages exposes them to the risk them of being recruited into terror groups, thus making it hard for the government to completely root out violent extremists from the region.
The Regional Commissioner further said the government has already released the capitation funding by the ministry of education, while the constituency development fund bursaries are being offered by the area MPs, hence there was no reason whatsoever keep any child out of school.
By Erick Kyalo
