By Sam Otieno
After finishing her primary education, Fartun Farah, who is now in Form One at Fafi Girls’ Secondary School, was determined to continue with her education and become a role model in a community that disregards education for girls.
Fartun had seen her age mates discontinue with their education after being married off by their parents, shattering their career goals.
Fifteen-year-old Fartun sat the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) last year at Bura Primary School and was selected to both Meru and Fafi girls’ secondary schools. She opted for Fafi because of its proximity (just a few metres from her home in Bura) and affordable school fees.
Increase access
There are few girls’ schools in North Eastern Province that Farsun could join — NEP Girls’ Boarding in Garissa District and Shurie Girls in Ijara District which are about 90km from her home.
Fafi District didn’t have a single girls’ secondary school until Fafi Girls’ Secondary was established.
The new school is set to increase access to girl secondary education within the district and the entire North Eastern
Safaricom’s Sanda Ojiambo and Prof Ayiecho Olweny during the opening of Fafi Girls’ Secondary School last month. [PHOTO: COLLINS KWEYU/STANDARD] |
"We believe that education is the key to a brighter future for both boys and girls. It’s for this reason that we donated this money to Fafi Girls through which four classrooms and a toilet block have been constructed, as well as learning materials purchased," said Ojiambo during the commissioning of the school.
According to the school principal, Mohamud Mahammed, the first intake was done last February admitting 54 girls who at the moment are studying in Bura Boys Secondary School while accommodation is offered at Bura Primary Boarding School before construction of all relevant structures such as dormitories, kitchen, administration block, and laboratory is completed.
Eradicating poverty
Prof Olweny noted that education of girls was a sure way of eradicating poverty within Fafi District and the entire country. He encouraged residents to invest in education for both boys and girls.
He noted that Fafi District has the lowest school enrolment rates in Kenya with nine per cent for girls and eleven per cent for boys. He encouraged them to improve the situation.
The poor enrolment is partly due to the community’s nomadic culture and lack of education role models.
In 2008, out of the 14 girls who sat KCPE, only four enrolled for secondary education. Besides, 41 pupils sat KCPE last year and 38 girls joined the new secondary school, explains Fafi District Education officer David Ayieta. This year, 48 have registered for KCPE.
Although the Government’s introduction of free primary education in 2003 was a big boost for parents who couldn’t afford school fees for their children, the initiative also led to increased school enrolment for both boys and girls.
This also meant that more pupils qualify to join secondary schools hence the need to put up more schools which can accommodate them.
Fafi Girls’ Secondary School will, therefore, play a major role in increasing the number of girls who complete secondary education which has in the past, been compromised by poverty, forcing them to drop out of school. He says students from Fafi will act as role models for other girls in the district and will motivate them to finish their studies.
Cultural practices
Ayieta cites cultural practices such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), early marriages, and negative attitude towards education as the major challenges that hinder girl child education in the district. Still, prejudice where the community believes that girls should not mix with boys at adolescence is also a major hindrance.
To encourage more parents to take their girls to secondary school, the District Education Office is working on modalities to establish single sex primary schools in every division.
