194 300
By Isabella Maua
Board of Management members across Mt. Elgon Sub County have been challenged to be proactive in executing their duties so as to improve the education standards of the region.
Speaking during the regional meeting at Kibuk Girls High School on Tuesday, Donald Etyang, the Sub County Education Director, noted that the board members have a big role to play in curbing teenage pregnancies, which has greatly tarnished the region’s reputation.
“We have parents amongst you and teachers as well; we all understand the pain and shame that is associated with teenage pregnancies and early marriages, which we have the ability to curb and completely finish in our areas of jurisdiction,” Etyang’ mentioned.
He also observed that chronic absenteeism, understaffing, and alcoholism have for a long time been ingredients of the dwindling examination results, especially in schools along or inside the forest areas.
“The habit of alcoholism starts with the parents, who unknowingly transfer the trait to their children, who later become addicts and eventually drop out of school,” reiterated the education director.
He accentuated, “It is very sad that not only pupils are absent at schools but also teachers and head teachers have recorded very alarming rates of absenteeism.”
The education office in the region also decried poor infrastructure, especially in schools in the most remote areas, for example, Tulwo, Kostooy, Aburi, and Chemositet.
The board members were also cautioned against engaging in negative politics that interfere with the schools’ programs and ultimately their holistic performance.
Conclusively, head teachers were encouraged to enroll pupils in the National Education Management Information System (NEMIS) so as to address the issue of underfunding, which is caused by the low number of pupils and students enrolled in schools.