National government administration officers have been directed to track down pupils who did not resume learning following the partial re-opening of schools.
Central Regional Commissioner Wilfred Nyagwanga said the Government is keen to establish the reasons behind the failure by some pupils to report back to school after the seven-month absence occasioned by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
While briefing the media after touring some of the schools in Nyeri County to access the success of the re-opening of learning institutions, Nyagwanga said chiefs and their assistants would team up with members of the nyumba kumi initiative to expeditiously find the missing learners and establish reasons behind their failure to report back to schools
He told head teachers to keep and update records of pupils on a daily basis and forward the names and classes of those found missing to the respective chiefs or their assistants for follow-up.
Speaking at Nyamachaki primary school in Nyeri town yesterday, the administrator assured parents that their children were safe since adequate measures had been put in place to protect them from contracting COVID-19.
He said although some of the institutions are experiencing challenges especially when it comes to social distancing, the Government through the Ministry of Education has initiated mechanisms to resolve the emerging issues.
The administrator said the Government will not gamble with the lives of children adding that all Ministry of Health protocols on prevention of COVID-19 infections must be complied with by all heads of learning institutions in the region.
“We will ensure that children are safe and protected against the highly infectious respiratory disease. Parents can rest assured that all is well as far as the safety of their children is concerned,” said Nyagwanga.
The official said the Government has embarked on a survey to establish the veracity of reports by sections of the media to the effect that number of school girls would not be reporting back to schools after falling pregnant.
While conceding that some girls had indeed been impregnated, Nyagwanga however termed the data being peddled in the area as grossly exaggerated but added that the survey would give a clear picture on the situation once completed.
He reiterated the Government’s commitment to protect the girl child adding that those who may have fallen victim to early pregnancies will be allowed back to schools.
