School dropout rate high in Garissa, Tana River counties

The high number of teenage pregnancies in Tana River is now raising alarm among stakeholders with the hardest hit areas being Madogo and Mororo in Tana Sub-County.

According to the Ministry of health, Tana River is among the counties with the highest number of teenage mothers with the pregnancies being blamed on several factors chief among them poverty, illiteracy and lack of sex education.

Several cases of under-age girls being married have also been reported in Tana River and neighbouring county of Garissa.

In Garissa, a 17 year old boy who eloped with and impregnated a 14 year old girl has been arrested.

According to Paul Ng’eny, County sub-commissioner, the girl got pregnant during the December holidays after undergoing the Female Genital Mutilation practices.

“Our children should be protected from retrogressive cultural practices, laws protecting the girl child are clearly spelt out in the Constitution,” said Ng’eny

“We shall employ tough measures to ensure that all school going girls are enrolled and retained in school,” he added

A group of women volunteers under the Girl Child Help Women Group has now embarked on helping teenage mothers get justice by ensuring that those who lure them into pregnancy are punished.

The volunteer group is however appealing to the government to post a children officer in affected areas  and construct rescue centres for girls escaping early marriages.