Alarm as six more girls found pregnant in school

By JOSEPH MASHA

Kilifi, Kenya: At least six girls from Makata Primary School in Kilifi County are set for drop out of school after they got pregnant.

One of the girls has already left school and got married after being impregnated by a Class Eight dropout from the same school, according to her parent who told The Standard her daughter was in Class Six.

Another girl is said to have been impregnated by her father who is an official of the school’s Parent-Teacher Association (PTA).

Some parents claim the school administration is trying to conceal the matter to avoid embarrassment because key officials of the institution’s management are suspects.

Area chief Mr Lawrence Karima confirmed to The Standard that the girls were indeed pregnant. “It’s true I have received the report concerning the pregnancy cases of the six girls at Makata Primary School in Kikambala Division and one of them is said to have been impregnated by her father,” said Mr Karima.

He however said the accused father denied allegations he is responsible for the pregnancy.

According to Karima, the girls include one each in Standard Eight and Seven and four from Class Six, adding in most cases their fellow pupils fathered the children.

He said he is consulting with other stakeholders in the school before he reports the matter to his superiors.

However, the school’s head teacher Florence Nzaro and Bahari District Education Officer Mwasera Mwashegu denied the pregnancy claims.

Ms Nzaro expressed shock and promised to investigate the matter.

“I’m not aware of these cases of six girls in my school who have conceived and that one is said to have been impregnated by her own father. I need to investigate the matter to get details,” she said.

The executive secretary of Kenya National Union of Teachers in Kilifi, Mr Patrick Rasi, said he was not aware of the incident but promised to get in touch with the school headmistress for more details.

The school PTA chairman Ronald Muzika confirmed he had received reports that some girls in the school were pregnant and said he will convene a management meeting to discuss the matter.

An official of Kilifi community development Kenneth Karima condemned that act and urged authorities to take action against the accused parent.

“Cases of girls getting pregnant in our schools is of great concern to us and we will not sit back and watch things become worse,” he said.

Rising indiscipline

In a recent case, five pupils at Cheplanget Primary School in Bureti District, Kericho County dropped out of school after boda-boda operators allegedly impregnated them.

The girls aged between 11 and 16 are said to have been impregnated several months ago and one of them delivered at Kapkatet District Hospital a week ago.

The parents and teachers blamed the pregnancies on the riders who allegedly lure girls with gifts such as clothes, shoes and candy among others.

“The boda boda operators take advantage of the minors’ ignorance by offering them free rides in exchange of sex,” said a parent.

Area Chief Elijah Sigei and the District Children’s Officer Grace Kipkech said the rise in cases of girls dropping out of school in the district due to early pregnancies is alarming.

The two said parents should discuss sex issues with their children instead of considering it a taboo.