Lack of proper sex education has been associated to teenage pregnancies and early marriages among learners in Rusinga Island, Mbita sub-county within Homa Bay County.
Utajo Primary School head teacher George Meshack Otieno said most girls are affected with early pregnancies since they lack knowledge regarding sex education to help them in overcoming the crucial pubescence stage.
Speaking to journalists, Otieno said girls also dropout because of early marriages and retrogressive cultural practices like wife inheritance making them wives at a young age.
“Our young girls are becoming mothers and wives out of illicit relationships with men from the beach and motorcyclists who entice them with money,” said Otieno.
Boys have also been quitting school to engage in labor activities like fishing and sand harvesting to help them combat poverty at home.
“As a result of poverty, boys dropout from school to help feed their families as well as get money to buy personal items like underwear,” he said.
As a result, schools within the region are said to have been poorly performing.
Otieno said his school has laid down measures to suppress these challenges through its partnership with Devlink and Global Partner.
These partners hold weekly sessions with the students in the school to educate them on how to take care of themselves during puberty to ensure they stay in school.
The school also monitors learner’s post-primary through its programme called Follow Up.
“Last year, one girl conceived and we ensured she sat for her examinations and scored 234 marks. She later joined Harrison Odhiambo Utajo Mixed Secondary School,” Otieno said.
The school is positive that the measures put in place will help reduce the number of students who drop out of school in the region.
The head teacher asked parents to educate their children on sex education in adolescence to curb school dropouts as a result of pregnancy or early marriage.
“Take time with your children, teach them about self-care, check who they relate with and where they go to ensure they complete their education,” Otieno said.
