Arson undermines gains in universal education

All it takes is just one matchstick and decades of investment – in both children and infrastructure – is undone. In that instance, opportunities for hundreds of children are lost.

Recent news that more than 120 schools have been set on fire, and destroyed - this year alone - is a cause of great concern.

Quality education is key to a better life and is critical to every nation’s ability to build stronger, more peaceful and more equitable societies.

However, as Kenya grapples with this spate of arson attacks in its schools, it is easy to lose sight of the tremendous gains that Kenya has made - and needs to continue making - if the country is to achieve Vision 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Indeed, Kenya deserves great credit for being among the first countries to ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in July 1990.

The country’s far-reaching Constitution, with its Bill of Rights, is in conformity with the CRC and protects all children from rights violations.

For the past 15 years, through Universal Free Primary Education and Free Day Secondary Education, the country has made great progress in increasing enrolment in primary and secondary schools.

Despite the economic slowdown, there have been sustained investments in the education sector by the government. For instance, in the 2016/2017 financial year, the budgetary allocation for the education sector is Sh399 billion - about 18 per cent of the national Budget.

This makes Kenya one of the top countries investing in education in the region. Certainly, the education sector has registered significant growth over the years. The number of Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE), primary and secondary education have increased by 16.9 per cent between 2009-2014, with secondary schools recording the highest annual growth rate of 8.2 per cent.

But while the picture looks promising nationally, progress is not uniform, and regional disparities persist, the arid and semi-arid lands being the most disadvantaged. There are not enough secondary schools for the children who need to be placed – 8,200 public secondary schools compared to 22,414 public primary schools. And, let’s not forget the 1.3 million children still out of school.

So the over 120 schools that have been burnt do cause a set back to the tremendous gains that have been made nationally to make secondary education more accessible.

The convention clearly states that every child, no matter where they are born, has the right to education in a protective and supportive environment.

The destruction of schools puts the realisation of this right at risk, particularly for those children who can least afford further setbacks; those from disadvantaged communities whose access to schools is already limited. In the long term, they will suffer the most from the consequences of this destruction. Like their parents, many of who have sacrificed so much to keep their children in school, such learners will not reach their full potential.

In order to safeguard the many gains of the education sector in Kenya, it is fundamentally important to continue open dialogue and positive engagement of all those concerned – school authorities, teachers, parents and, most importantly, children and young people themselves.

Such dialogue is critical in identifying the right solutions that will effectively stop the destruction of schools and education facilities, and will provide a conducive environment for the country to achieve its vision for continued improvements in education in line with Vision 2030. A vision that is in the best interest of every Kenyan child.

Unicef, together with other UN agencies and key partners, stand ready to continue our support of the education sector in the country.

Mr Schultink is Unicef Representative in Kenya; [email protected]; Twitter: @UNICEFKenya