NAROK: In Narok County, the number of pregnant candidates during primary education assessments has notably decreased in the current year, according to local authorities.
According to Kenya News Agency, there were 72 candidates who were pregnant during the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) and the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exams. This figure shows a significant reduction from the 248 pregnant candidates recorded last year in both primary and secondary levels.
Masinde credited the decline to concerted efforts by educational stakeholders, who conducted awareness campaigns about the risks of early sexual activity and advocated for students to focus on their academic pursuits. He noted the importance of community involvement, highlighting the roles played by the Department of Education, Children services, the Council of Elders, religious groups, and various non-governmental actors in promoting educational values over backward cultural practices.
The County Commissioner, speaking from his office, elaborated that of the pregnant candidates, 20 were grade 6 pupils taking the KPSEA, while the remaining 52 were engaged in the KCPE exams. Additionally, he reported that five of these students were compelled to take their exams in hospital due to onset labor pains.
A breakdown of the figures revealed that Narok East Sub County reported the highest incidence, with 22 pregnant candidates, whereas Trans Mara South Sub County recorded only one case during the examination period.
While the exact number of pregnant candidates during the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams was not disclosed, Masinde assured that the numbers had substantially decreased compared to the previous year's statistics of 140 in primary and 108 in secondary schools.
Masinde also called on parents to actively guide and monitor their children during the holiday season, emphasizing the role of parental support in maintaining the declining trend of teenage pregnancies. He issued a stern warning against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), reaffirming the government's stance against the practice and the legal repercussions for engaging in it.
In summary, a total of 14,544 candidates sat for the KCSE, while 43,465 and 39,976 students took the KCPE and KPSEA exams, respectively.