School attenancet drops as cattle rustling thrives in Baringo County

Two years ago, Arabal Primary School had a ‘normal’ population of 290 pupils, this school at the heart of Baringo County boasted of being among the best in terms of pupil population.This was a clear indication that area residents had seen the need to embrace education for their children. But in December 2012, armed bandits hit the school and villages around, stealing cattle, destroying property and displacing residents.

“That was the beginning of the death of this school which we are now trying to revive,” said Mr Joel Kiptanui, the school’s headteacher.

At that time, 17 people were killed, the more reason why most of them do not want to go back.Children walk from as far as ten kilometers, crossing seasonal rivers to get to school, unsure of their security.

“I have encountered cattle rustlers once along river Arabal,” said Daisy Chemotich, a class seven pupil.

She said she was in the company of her friends, walking home from school when they noted a group of young men armed with guns.

“They just told us to pass and we safely went home,” she said.

But in some instances of bandit attacks, even children are not spared.

In 2012, a pupil from this school was killed while another had his leg amputated after he was shot by suspected cattle rustlers.This is one of the schools in Mukutani that has recorded a decreasing number of pupils amid rising cases of insecurity. In some areas, displaced people have been forced to make do with makeshift schools in a bid to ensure education continues in the makeshift schools, pupils learn under trees with no roof above them.

“We are like a forgotten lot who have to mind about our children’s education as if we are under no governance,” said Josphat Liali, the chairman of Loosampurpur Primary School.

While in other areas of the country people are busy debating about free laptops, Liali said, a roof on their children’s heads while learning is all they want.

Residents joined hands in starting this school after they were displaced from their original homes by cattle rustlers.

“We opted to have our children learn under deplorable conditions instead of having them at home,” said Liali.

But the trend has not only affected this sub-county, but most parts of Baringo where some schools have since been closed. Most schools in this county have been recording fluctuating number of enrolled pupils as people in the area keep fleeing from their villages.

Stakeholders in the education sector have warned that more schools are likely to close down while others will end up overpopulated.This is despite the reducing number of teachers in the regions as some seek transfers and others resign fearing for their lives due to insecurity.

In Mukutani Sub-County within Baringo Central, the number of pupils has reduced from 2961 in 2010 to the current 2341.The area Education Officer David Lechamakany said at least 543 pupils could not be accounted for between 2013 and 2014.

In the last four years, Lechamakany said, candidates presented for Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exam has dropped by 30.7%.

He said that a drop in performance has also been witnessed during this period.

“In 2012, 28.3% scored above 300 while in 2013, only 21.7% attained the same,” he said.

A recent report by Uwezo Kenya indicated that only 7% of children in East Pokot Sub-County, within Baringo County could read or do simple math. The report, which was released last June, also ranked East Pokot as the worst in East Africa.

“In East Pokot, there are more children out than in school,” reads the report.

While some regions record a decline in the number of pupils enrolled, in others the pupil population is rising steadily.

“It is not necessarily true that more children are born in such areas with higher enrolment, but this is due to movement of people to ‘safer’ areas,” noted Lechamakany.

A report from Baringo North AEO indicates that the number of pupils enrolled in the area has doubled between 2012 and 2014 from 1490 to 2940.

“Most of the schools are safe havens for pupils displaced from neighbouring Baringo Central who end up enrolling here,” said Nancy Kandie, the area AEO.

If the trend continues, Ms Kandie said, more schools are likely to be closed down for lack of pupils.Already, four schools have closed down over the last seven years with at least two being inaccessible for damage assessment. 

In a bid to save the situation, stakeholders have decided to strategically include women and children in reducing conflict and building peace. Dubbed ‘Tudumishe amani watoto wetu wasome’ (Lets maintain peace so that our children can get education), the strategy is an initiative by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the Education Ministry and Baringo County Government.

“Women and their children are the most vulnerable groups when conflict arises and we are using them to preach the message of co-existence among communities,” said Hassan Jirma, NDMA’s county chief.

Often, schools are turned to refugee centers when conflict occasioned by cattle rustling occurs in the region. It is for this reason, Mr Jirma said, that the authority decided to target the education sector in a bid to ensure that children learn in peace and education is not interrupted.

Prof Samuel Wachanga, who heads the Education department at Egerton University, said denying children education equals to denying them a lifeline.

“The world is wired around education,” he said, adding, “Even pastoralists have to interact with education to be able to carry on with daily life.”

The professor said all children should be allowed access basic education adding that enhancing security was the key to achieving this.

He observed that Kenya was not likely to achieve its Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of ensuring that by 2015, all children would be able to complete the full course of primary school education.

“Safety of course comes first and children must feel secure to be able to attend school,” he said.

Reference : reliefweb.int