Kjong kids trek to Kenya schools
Jun 25, 2009
The Pokot-Karimojong children living in Nakapiripirit district trek to the North Pokot district in Kenya in pursuit of formal education, local leaders have said.
By Daniel Edyegu
The Pokot-Karimojong children living in Nakapiripirit district trek to the North Pokot district in Kenya in pursuit of formal education, local leaders have said.
Metrin Cheptoris, the Karita sub-county chief, said Pokot parents started appreciating education following the ongoing disarmament exercise, but added that schools in the border sub-counties of Loro, Amudat and Karita were few and far.
“In Karita there are over 10,000 children of school-going-age but only 283 are enrolled in the two primary schools in the sub-county. Some of the teachers live with the children in the teacher’s quarters to save them from trekking long distances. The Government needs to build schools near the manyattas (homesteads),†Cheptoris said.
She noted that Pokot Secondary School in Amudat sub-county was the only secondary school in the three sub-counties.
Cheptoris added that some parents took their children to live with relatives across the border during the school term.
She was recently speaking at the victory party of the new Karita LC3 chairperson, Anna Namiti, at Karengepoche trading centre.
The North Pokot education officer, Paul Lopeyok, said authorities in Kenya had decided to allow children from Nakapiripirit to study in the schools across the border.
“We relaxed requirements like the need to have a passport because we know it’s not by design that these children trek to study in our country. Besides, the Pokot in Kenya and those in Uganda are blood brothers with only a boundary separating them,†Lopeyok added.
Stephen Lorabol, the LC1 chairman of Naporokocho village, said the Government needed to focus on constructing schools and other infrastructure in the district.
The 3rd Division Commander, Brig. Patrick Kankiriho, pledged to sponsor the 10 best Primary Leaving Examination candidates this year from Kotido, Nakapiripirit, Abim, Moroto and Kaabong districts at the Rubongi Army School in Tororo district.
The Pokot-Karimojong children living in Nakapiripirit district trek to the North Pokot district in Kenya in pursuit of formal education, local leaders have said.
Metrin Cheptoris, the Karita sub-county chief, said Pokot parents started appreciating education following the ongoing disarmament exercise, but added that schools in the border sub-counties of Loro, Amudat and Karita were few and far.
“In Karita there are over 10,000 children of school-going-age but only 283 are enrolled in the two primary schools in the sub-county. Some of the teachers live with the children in the teacher’s quarters to save them from trekking long distances. The Government needs to build schools near the manyattas (homesteads),†Cheptoris said.
She noted that Pokot Secondary School in Amudat sub-county was the only secondary school in the three sub-counties.
Cheptoris added that some parents took their children to live with relatives across the border during the school term.
She was recently speaking at the victory party of the new Karita LC3 chairperson, Anna Namiti, at Karengepoche trading centre.
The North Pokot education officer, Paul Lopeyok, said authorities in Kenya had decided to allow children from Nakapiripirit to study in the schools across the border.
“We relaxed requirements like the need to have a passport because we know it’s not by design that these children trek to study in our country. Besides, the Pokot in Kenya and those in Uganda are blood brothers with only a boundary separating them,†Lopeyok added.
Stephen Lorabol, the LC1 chairman of Naporokocho village, said the Government needed to focus on constructing schools and other infrastructure in the district.
The 3rd Division Commander, Brig. Patrick Kankiriho, pledged to sponsor the 10 best Primary Leaving Examination candidates this year from Kotido, Nakapiripirit, Abim, Moroto and Kaabong districts at the Rubongi Army School in Tororo district.