Cases of teenage pregnancies among school going girls in Nandi is on the rise following a status report released in August this year which signified that several teenage girls reported back to school with pregnancies.
Speaking to Journalists in Kapsabet, Nandi County Commissioner Harman Shambi cited that the cases are alarming due to school drop outs and there is need to the issue through a crisis meeting involving all the education stakeholders.
Shambi noted that the County education report shows school girls both primary and secondary aged between fifteen to eighteen years (15-18) were found to be expectant in August when the schools reopened after a short holiday.
He revealed that the alarming new cases involve learners from various schools across Nandi and the situation demands immediate concerted actions from all the education stakeholders and indeed support from the parents.
“It is unfortunate that the young girls were taken advantage of by some members of the community who are scot free and this menace should be brought to a halt with immediate effect.” He warned
The commissioner blamed the vice on poverty among the minors who are taken advantage of in exchange of some foods, sweets and other needs by men.
He has ordered the local administrators including chiefs, their assistants and school heads to consider reporting cases of teenage girls who have dropped out of school due to pregnancies adding that stringent action should be taken to those responsible.
Nandi County had recorded the largest number of teenage pregnancy cases during Covid-19 period which resulted in closure of all the schools between the years 2020—2021. Over ten thousand girls became expectant, this being a surging figure.
