KMET EDUCATION “ HAKI YA ELIMU KWA WATOTO WOTE” BACK TO SCHOOL LAUNCHEON

The KMET Education project is in partnership with Concern Worldwide,UNICEF and the Ministry of education through the Municipal Education Office

PROJECT TARGET:

4000 most vulnerable children in 4 informal settlements in Kisumu Municipality

PROJECT GOAL:

Increase the number of most vulnerable primary school age children accessing quality basic education in 19 school communities within Kisumi Municipality by 3%

KMET education department’s objective is to promote access to quality primary education to most vulnerable children within the five urban informal settlements in Kisumu including Nyalenda, Obunga, Bundani, Manyatta and Dunga in Kisumu Municipality.
Kisumu municipality hosts some of the largest informal settlement in Kenya after Nairobi according to (opendata.go.ke) 2010. Kisumu municipality has a total of 175 public primary schools spread all over. Although Free Primary Education has contributed to increased numbers of children joining primary school across Kisumu, escalating poverty has contributed to high drop-out and low completion rate. Poverty is estimated to range between 53 to 63% within Kisumu County. In Kisumu Many schools were not ready for the effects of Free Primary Education which was rapid increase in enrollment; the high enrollment resulted in shortage of stationery and overstretched other facilities such as classrooms and toilets among others. KMET's education department, in partnership with Concern Worldwide, UNICEF and Municipal Education Office selected 19 schools within Kisumu municipality to promote active inclusion of most vulnerable children in education as follows:-

The above 19 schools were selected due to the high drop-out rates within the schools especially for girls which is accompanied by low academic performance resulting to low participation of parents in school issues.  According to the 19 school communities vulnerability was described by communities in various dimensions:-

• Children with parents have low income levels within households and cannot afford to provide basic needs
• Children living with caregivers who are ignorant of children s rights
• Children orphaned and have no adult caregivers to take care of their needs
• Children who live in rescue centers and lack basic necessities
• Teenage girls

 



 

In order to fulfill the above dimension of the definition of most vulnerable children the specific objectives of the education project are:

1. Enhance involvement of 19 school community in Kisumu municipality to identify and enroll and retain MVCs in School
2. Increase learning resources for  4,000 
3. Most Vulnerable Children in  primary schools  in Kisumu Municipality
4. Decrease burden to sustain payment of school levies for 300 MVCs



 

During KMET mission to enroll and re-enroll Mvcs back to school, it was noted that some children in slum areas still do not attend primary school because their parents cannot afford to pay for other costs associated with schooling such as costs for uniforms, books and supplies.

 



(From Left) Daniel Okutah receiving Kosawo's community contribution from Mr. Ojwang' through KMET's Exec. Dir. (Monica Oguttu)


As part of the retention strategy, KMET provided basic learning materials like books, uniforms and sanitary towelss and shoes for a total of   4,200 identified most vulnerable children within the 19 school communities and was flagged off on 14th November 2011 at Kosawo primary school, one of the schools within Kisumu municipality. This occasion was presided by the Kisumu municipality deputy education officer, Mr. Daniel Okuta. Also in attendance were the respective head teachers from the 19 school communities including Kanyamedha school, Bandani, Manyatta Arab, Kudho primary, Obwolo, Lutheran special and non-formal schools such as St Mark Nyabera school, Kassagam, pandpieri, Ring road orphan school, Joel Omino primary, lake Victoria non-formal, St Vitalis Nanga, Magadi , Manyatta hope and faith non-formal school, Kosawo primary, Obinju kanyakwar primary ,Tido and Ogango primary schools respectively.  
UNICEF was represented by Margaret Gwada, Concern worldwide (Ann Ejakait, James Njuguna and Peter Wechuli) ,Municipal education office (Fransisca Hawalla, Magdaline Egwata), STIPA, Bata shoe company Kisumu , Emma fashion house, multi media house, parents representatives, KMET departmental representatives and children from the targeted schools.

 



Witney, a pupil from Manyatta Faith, receiving a pair of uniform from Margaret Gwada of UNICEF

 

During the event which was well attended it was clearly stated that there was need for joint efforts between the school communities and various stakeholders to increase the number of vulnerable primary school age children accessing quality basic education which was echoed by concern worldwide, UNICEF, KMET executive director and the Deputy municipal education officer, Parents’ representatives which in support of this had made various efforts through community contributions in order for these communities to purchase various learning materials including books, school uniforms, shoes ,ties and school levies paid for those children who were re-enrolled back to school.

 



KMET's Executive Director, Monica Oguttu, giving a speech

 

It was noted that “taking a child back to school was not the main task however the important part was to ensure that these children are maintained to retain them in order to complete the required basic primary education”.

 



Margaret Gwada of UNICEF

 

Despite the concerted efforts of the above stakeholders there are quite a number of children within Kisumu municipality whom still need allot of support and encouragement to enable them to transit and complete basic education. Which we believe and know that this can be possible if various workable strategies are put in place in order to reach most vulnerable targeted children who are still out of school or who are in school but are on the verge of dropping out due to difficult circumstances but who are in reality should be accessing quality basic education for the realization of the millennium development goal number 2: Achieve universal primary education.

 

The KMET education team would like to thank everyone for their generous contribution, cooperation and participation in this process.