As the government focuses on tracing girls who got pregnant during the pandemic, with the aim of taking them back to school, it is now emerging that more boys than girls could be missing from classrooms.
A blend of culture and thirst for the money during the nine-month closure of schools occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic has led to a high number of boys staying away from schools.
Unlike in the past, the Nation has found, more boys than girls have abandoned schooling as they are subjected to cultural practices such as circumcision, moranism and cattle rustling, while others have ventured into the bodaboda business, quarry work, fishing and even hawking, which they are not willing to abandon at the moment.
In Samburu, for example, at least 30,000 boys have dropped out of school to become morans. The high number is occasioned by the fact that circumcision and subsequent enlisting into moranism occurs every 15 years. The last time boys were circumcised before 2020 (christened the Lkisieku ) was in 2005 (the Lkishami ).
"Our statistics indicate that we are losing more boys than girls here in Samburu. We are worried with the number of boys who have reported to school so far across the county," said Samburu County Director of Education David Koech.
In Nakuru, a number of boys have left school for the quarries. A 14-year-old we interviewed vowed never to go back to school as he was now making money — at least Sh700 a day.
In Kericho, Laikipia, Samburu and Baringo counties, some boys who underwent circumcision during the pandemic are yet to report to school as they are yet to heal.
In Baringo, County Commissioner Henry Wafula said Baringo South has recorded a high number of boys who are still at home after they underwent late circumcision.
“We are following up with our chiefs and village elders to monitor the progress of the boys so that they can immediately resume classes once they heal,” said Mr Wafula.
According to the administrator, the communities in the area — including the Endorois and the Ilchamus — have strict cultural rites that give specific timeliness for each.
In Tiaty East and West sub-counties, parents insisted that the initiates must undergo circumcision and complete the three-month seclusion period, even as schools were reopening. This has paralysed learning in more than 20 schools in the area.
Among the affected schools are Sukut, Krezee, Korelach, Kaghat, Katagh, Kolowa, Ng’aina, Nginyang’, Cheptunoyo, Nalekat, Nakoko, Riong’o, Akwichatis, Nalekat, Chesakam, Paka, Chesirimion and Chemolingot, Kositei, Katikit and Komolion, Loiwat, Kakapul, Chepilat and Kipnai.
Spot checks by the Nation revealed that a majority of the boys had not gone back, with some schools recording less than 10 pupils, or none at all.
At Sukut Primary School in the remote Tirioko ward for instance, out of 79 boys in the institution, only one, a Grade One pupil, had reported back, according to the headteacher, Mr Frankline Lomatong.
At Nakoko Primary School, out of more than 300 pupils, only 12 were present, among them one boy. At the neighbouring Cheptunoyo Primary School, only 35 out of 348 pupils had reported to school on Tuesday.
Some boys in Laikipia, Baringo and Samburu counties have this month migrated to other counties and remote areas in search of pasture for livestock, as the dry season sets in.
Other affected areas are Kinamba, Sipili, parts of Nyahururu town in Laikipia West Constituency and Weyumererie in Laikipia East, where a number of the boys have joined the boda business.
Laikipia West Deputy County Commissioner Hezron Nyamberi noted that a small percentage of boys had also joined various businesses, especially the motorcycle taxi business, following the long break.
Last month, two students at Baari Secondary School, who had joined the bodaboda business, died in a road accident at Mairo Inya township on the Nyahururu-Nyeri road after their motorcycle collided with a matatu.
Rift Valley Regional Coordinator George Natembeya is optimistic that all the learners will be traced and returned to school through the assistance of the chiefs and their assistants.
"I directed all chiefs and their assistants in the affected counties, together with other administrators, to account for all children within their jurisdiction and ensure all report back to school. No child should be out of school, including those who got pregnant,” said Mr Natembeya.
In central region’s Nyandarua County, several school boys are engaged in the bodaboda business.
At the Coast, more than 400 students are yet to report to school, including girls. The highest numbers are in Kilifi, Lamu and Tana River counties. Tana River County Director of Education James Nyagah said a list of the missing learners had been sent out for chiefs to track them and take them back to school.
Some boys are also doing menial jobs such as mango harvesting. In Nyanza and Western regions, many boys dropped out of school to help their struggling families put food on the table.
In Kisumu, Migori, Homa Bay and Kisii, some boys have opted to engage in fishing, while others joined bodabodas.
According to Kakola-Ombaka Assistant Chief Jacob Ong'udi, boat owners and fishermen are recruiting school boys.
Kisumu County Education Director Isaac Atebe said 4 per cent of primary schools and 6 per cent of secondary schools are yet to resume classes.
Like in Kisumu County, investigations revealed that some of the boys in Migori County were engaging in fishing in Lake Victoria, while the majority had turned to bodaboda business.
In Rongo Sub County, 27 per cent of learners in primary schools and 19 per cent in secondary schools are still missing from school, with reports indicating that some of the boys were now bodaboda riders.
Rongo Sub County Commissioner Andrew Mwiti, however, noted that an operation to trace and bring back the missing learners was under way.
In Kisii County, a majority of boys who have not reported to school are feared to have joined the bodaboda business. However, the county director for education, Mr Pius Ngoma, said they were on course to compile a list of boys who have not gone back to school.
In Kakamega County, provincial administration officials are still combing villages, tracing boys who have not reported back to school. Kakamega Central Deputy County Commissioner Ngalia Ndaya said efforts by chiefs and their assistants to trace the missing learners and ensure they report back to school were progressing smoothly.
“So far we have 5 per cent of the boys enrolled in primary schools and 3 per cent in secondary schools who have not reported back for learning, but we are making every effort to ensure they resume learning,” said Mr Ndaya.
Kakamega Central Sub-County Director of Education Kabora Mwanzi said only 3 per cent of the boys in pre-primary schooling had not reported back.
Reported by Stephen Oduor, Joseph Openda, Flora Koech, Geoffrey Ondieki, Eric Matara, Steve Njuguna, Waikwa Maina, John Njoroge and George Sayagie, Elizabeth Ojina, Ian Byron, Benson Amadala and Derick Luvega
