Date Posted: 2/10/2012 5:10:56 AM
Posted By: Voriko Membership Level: Bronze Total Points: 45
Rethinking Girl Child Education in Kenya - Kenya Nation's Economic EmpowermwntKenya as a country is made up of more than 42 nations, which speak different languages and practice different cultural deeds and beliefs despite that some of them trace the same ancestral background and origin. In addition, their take in economic and political organizations can be identified as an area that has drawn visible landmarks within these communities that make up Kenya. However, one major factor that contributes immensely in economic development of a nation has proved to be a common drawback for all these nations in Kenya before and even after the establishment of western education, which is girl child discrimination inline with education for the nation.In 1490s when the exploration of African had begun years ago, many African nations in general and Kenya in particular had settled in their current residence. They had social, political and economic organizations which favored their cultural beliefs, environment in which they lived and their way of worship. Linking that contemporary situation in Kenya in about 400 and above years ago and the current situation, it is clearly evident that the Kenyan nations still adhere to the their ancestral customs and beliefs as spelt out by the few individuals who lived before us. The may factor that helps us to analyze discrimination among the girl child in a particular community is the social organization of that community. Different nations have different ways of viewing girl child despite the fact that at the end, all these communities still violate the very important right of a child in this case girl child. This issue has remained challenging in our communities despite pronounced campaigns that have been promoted against girl child discrimination. Among the Luo community that lives along the lake shore of Victoria, girl child was viewed as senseless and useless member of a family while boys were termed as major component of a family and a person would be highly respected and obeyed among the community when he gave birth to as many as possible boys. Women were granted with home based chores while men were entitled to provide security and food to the entire community. Informal education was provided to boys while women were only able access information on duties of a woman in the family. They were not allowed to access secrets of the community.The Kalenjins of Kenya also termed women as devils and they were only able to bring curses to the community. Men were embraced with dignity and respect. Warrior ship was meant for only Kalenjin men whereas women were subjected to weird jobs. The entire community members, girls included believed that they were incapable and could not perform any important community function. This belief has remained as it was initially and it has largely redirected the expected positive direction in terms of educational development, which will in turn foster massive economic development.Currently, educational development has proved to be the only way to improve our economy through scaling up education among the youths. It has been reported that both men and women are equally capable of performing any duty in any field in Kenya today. It is therefore the nation’s priority to embrace girl child education through identification of need gaps in the community that would otherwise promote girl child education as been witnessed in the past. In about 30 years ago, several organizations had been formed to carry out a massive campaign against girl child discrimination. The brutality that women have faced in the past MUST now come to an end since it is now within our conscious that there is gender equality and every child must be given equal opportunity in all spheres of life.Women have proved to be extremely capable and endowed with wits than even men who for over years have been viewed as human beings with wisdom. Vivid examples of great women who have made memories in the minds of those who knew them and even to the generations of that never saw them are surprisingly adequate. Take for example Jonson Hellen who brought a different political dimension in Africa when she successful challenged men in the race for presidency in the republic of Liberia. In our own country, Prof. Wangari Mathai is remembered as woman who echoed the voice of the unheard and she successfully proved that women are capable when she consequently won the Nobel Peace Price. Education for the improvement of economic development for the Kenyan nations is a collective move that requires that every member of the community must take active role geared towards achieving the projected goals outlined in vision 2030. This can only be achieved through formation of support group, enhancement of consultative discussion on issues that hinder girl child education and taking serious legal actions against individuals who violate the educational rights of children especially girl child.Rethinking girl child education therefore means taking a different dimension in promoting educational development, which will in turn scale up economic development in the Kenya nations and Kenya in general. This will massively render null and void the high poverty levels in the country.
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