The Ministry of Education has raised alarm over the number of non-schoolgoing children aged between six and 17 years in Kenya.
Speaking during the 14th Kenya Primary Heads Association conference at Sheikh Zayed Centre in Mombasa, Director of Primary Education Habat Abdi listed Mandera county as the worst hit by the scenario.
The county recorded a total of 124,000 which is 15 percent of the number of children who qualify to be in school.
Other counties that had record-breaking numbers are Turkana, Wajir, West Pokot, Isiolo, Marsabit, Tana River and Nairobi.
[caption caption="Ministry of Education Director of Primary Education Habat Abdi addresses teachers during the 14th Kenya Primary Heads Association conference"]
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"Turkana, Garissa and Wajir have 10 per cent, 8.9 percent and 6.7 percent respectively," Abdi stated.
The director further explained that of the total 852,000 school dropouts in the country at present, a third were categorised as persons living with disabilities.
The rest are girls from extremely poor households, children with un-cooperating parents and children who drop out of school due to sickness and indiscipline cases.
The Ministry official explained that the only remedy to the situation rests upon parents where he urged them to take their children to school early enough.
"In these centres, children get adequate nourishment and psychological stimulation, thereby being able to learn. They are well prepared for school.
"In non-formal education, learners are allowed to do their home chores during the day and come to learn in the evening after regular children have left.
"The Lechukuti pastoralists school in Samburu is a good example, where programmes run from 5 p. m. to 8 p. m. During the day, they are allowed to go herd cattle," he advised.
[caption caption="Education CS Amina Mohamed speaks during a past meeting at Parliament"]
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