One out of three class 3 pupils cannot do class 2 work-report

By Peter Gachanja

One out of three primary school pupils who proceed to class three are incapable of solving class two work, an assessment on learning and numeracy conducted by Uwezo Kenya initiative has revealed.

Uwezo Kenya Regional Coordinator Sospeter Gitonga said that the fact that pupils aged 9 years cannot do class two work shows that there are glaring gaps in the education sector.

According to Gitonga, the problems in the education sector begin from the foundational level as only 47 percent of children receive early childhood education.

The damning findings contained in an annual report also indicate that at least sixty percent of children joining early childhood education drop out midway as a result of innumerable challenges, some of which are related to costs of learning.

Similarly damning  is a finding that a high percentage of children aged three to four years have to commute for as many as six kilometers to school for lack of lack nursery school facilities.

According to the Annual Learning Assessment Report, conducted by Uwezo Kenya, early childhood education in the country faces numerous challenges that require concerted efforts by both County and National Governments.

Gitonga said improvement of the mental capacity of the child at an early stage creates the foundation for a successful academic journey.

The Chairperson of Education Committee at the Embu County Assembly Winrose Ireri said that children drop out of school to work in miraa plantations in the lower Mbeere Miraa growing areas.

She said the assembly is putting up a policy framework in place so as they are able to compel parents to take children to school.