Oruba Primary School

By Timothy Mbaya

A head teacher in Uriri sub-county has raised a red flag after a steady rise in the number of girls found to have been impregnated by boda boda riders in South East Kanyamkago location.

The head teacher of Oruba Primary school Kennedy Akang’o has said since the beginning of this term, five girls were found to have been impregnated by boda boda riders from the nearby Uriri centre.

The head teacher said the riders were a hindrance to the schools progress as they tampered with the learning of girls in the school and urged local leaders to mete harsh measures against those who were found culpable

“We are having a problem. The boda boda riders have consistently been a bother to our institution, those found guilty should not be spared” the head teacher retorted.

Speaking to the press in his office, Akang’o said he suspected something was amiss after teachers realised that some students failed report back to school for afternoon sessions after they went home for lunch break.

“The problem has continued for some time and we only came to realise after the girls continuously skipped afternoon classes,” Akang’o added.

Mr. Akang’o said he raised the issue with the parents of girls who were found victims of afternoon absenteeism and the girls admitted to have been lured by some boda boda riders.

“We called the pupils who were always absent, held discussions with them then thereafter called their parents and revealed to them what was happening,” the head teacher explained.

The pupil explained that they were forcedly lured into sugarcane plantation by boda boda riders

One of the girls recalled how she went visiting one of the suspects before he closed the door and forced himself on her.

“I hid the matter from my parents and there was nothing I could do as I was the one who went to visit him,” the soft spoken girls said.

Confirming the incident the area chief William Onyanji Omege said the school raised the issue with his office where he took up the mater.

“My office investigated the matter where we arrested two of the suspects, Eddy Okola and another who was only identified as Oloo,” the chief said.

Two other suspects identified as Omboga and Emanuel however escaped and are yet to be apprehended.

One of the girls who is in class eight successfully gave birth and had reported back to class where she is continuing with her studies. The other four girls are in class seven.

“The girls are on with their studies though one of them usually get distracted as she has to seek permission to go tend to her child amid school hours,” the head teacher said.

Asked whether they had a counselling department for the girls and the pupils at large, Mr. Akang’o said, “We take the girls through guiding and counselling, and this is what has kept them confident to continue with their studies.”

The head teacher also noted that the school had an average dropout of eight girls per year but was optimistic that this year it would be different.

“The crackdown on boda boda riders and counseling process that we have started is bearing fruit and leading the school to the right direction,” Mr. Akang’o said.