Reconciling rights of African child in digital age their real life struggles

Boys carry firewood they had collected from Sotik Highlands Tea Estate in the neighbood of Nyamira and Bomet Counties. With schools closed most children help their parents with chores at home. [Sammy Omingo, Standard]

On this Day of the African Child, I share my experience meeting and talking with parents and teachers of children for whom this year's theme doesn't apply.

Ten days ago, I went on a road trip to Kenya's most expansive county, Marsabit, to monitor the ongoing Usawa Agenda learning assessment. I set off from Nairobi early and was on the outskirts of Karatina town in Nyeri County at 5.40am. I came across teenagers in a variety of school uniforms along the road. Some in groups, others isolated. They tried to flag me down, as they did to the motorists ahead of me. I realised that this was their routine in search of education!