Parents and principles are to blame for increased number of Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) candidates giving birth while writing their final exams.
According to Kirui Kimutai from the Center against Torture in Uasin Gishu, a child cannot carry a pregnancy for nine months without being noticed by both the parents and her teachers.
Kimutai said it was surprising that dozens of girls from various schools in the country gave birth while continuing with their KCSE exams with some candidates forced to abandon papers in the middle when labour pains set in while in examination room.
The rate at which young school girls are being impregnated in the country is alarming and if no action was taken, it will lead to a disaster, warned the human rights activist.
“The Teachers’ Service Commission, (TSC) and the Ministry of Education should investigate and sue those responsible for messing with our children,” said Kimutai during a press briefing in Eldoret Thursday.
Kimutai said it was unfortunate that some of those responsible for the pregnancies were teachers whom parents entrusted to take care of their girls while in school, “what is even annoying is that some of the culprits go scot-free. TSC should sack any teacher found guilty of not just impregnating a student but also those engaging in sexual relationships with their students.
He said pregnancy cases in schools will continue to rise until decisive action was taken against perpetrators. “People should be jailed when they impregnate a school girl to serve as a lesson for others harboring the same behavior,” he added.
By Cynthia Jebet and Kiptanui Cherono
