The government and other stakeholders have been challenged to do more to empower female teachers working in North Eastern region and promote girl child education.
Speaking at County High School in Garissa during the official opening of the office, Kenya Women Teachers Association (Kewota) National coordinator Saboke Danstan said girl child education was still under threat due to retrogressive cultural practices like FGM and early marriages.
She assured area residents Kewota will remain steadfast in not only enhancing the living standards of women in the teaching profession by providing avenues for professional, economic, and personal development but also promoting girl child education.
“The numbers don’t lie and we have seen the transition of girls from the time they start schooling to the time they get to colleges the numbers go downwards an indication that something terrible wrong happens to them along the way that leads to them dropping out of school,” he said.
“What that means is that we will not have enough female teachers and other professionals in years to come if we don’t arrest and correct the situation before it is late. This calls for concerted effort from all of us,” he added.
Danston who is also the programming officer said that young girls who have been subjected to any form of abuse must be assisted to go back to school as well as offered psychological support.
He said that many female teachers were suffering in silence after being subjected to gender based Violence saying that the new office will work closely with other stakeholder to tackle the challenges that both female teachers and girls face.
Sarah Onyango on her part said the Association in pursuit of its core mandate has supported thousands of women teachers and young girls, coordinated major change driven programs and partnered with industry leaders locally and internationally.
Abdi Barre Aden, the Deputy Principle County High School said that as administrators and teachers from the region they were ready to support Kewota in any way possible saying that GBV [FGM] and early marriages remain the biggest threat to female teachers and girl child education in the region.
Zeinab Ramadan a teacher from County High and the Kewota coordinator-Garissa Chapter urged the TSC to support them in improving the welfare of teachers saying especially those working in ASAL counties.
Kewota which was first registered in 2007, was founded by women teachers who wanted a strategic community to bring together women working in the education sector, and deliberate on ways to address and advocate for their needs, specific to the female gender, and to provide an avenue for women teachers to grow professionally, economically and personally.
Kinyungu Kithendu
