Cabinet Secretary for Education George Magoha to lead Kenyans marking the International Literacy Day/File
NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 8 – The Cabinet Secretary for Education George Magoha will lead Kenyans on Monday, to mark the International Literacy Day.
In a statement, the Ministry of Education said Magoha will officiate the event in West Pokot as the celebrations take place in different parts of the country.
“The CS will tomorrow at Makutano Stadium in Kapenguria, in West Pokot County as the celebrations will take place at County and at Sub County levels throughout the country,” reads the statement.
Director for Adult and Continuing Education Irreneous Kinara has however said that Kenya still is crippled on matters literacy even as the government plans to join other states in celebrating this day.
“Kenya has made great strides in ensuring access to education by school-going children, nationally, 22 percent of the adult population still face literacy challenges with the affected being girls and women,” said Kinara.
According to UNESCO, an adult literacy rate of 78.73 percent adding that male literacy rate is 83.78 percent, for females is 74.01 percent.
Kinara, however, said that pastoral communities mainly in Arid and Semi-Arid Areas (ASAL) were the most disadvantaged.
“Cultural practices such as early marriages, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), moranism, teenage pregnancy and general poverty in the regions have cut off people from benefiting from the investments the government has made in education over the years,” he adds.
According to Kinara, the government has programs on adult education to give a second chance to those who missed their education first time, over the mentioned challenges.
“The Ministry provides has adult’s education instructors to teach the adult earners functional skills they need to survive in a changing,” said Kinara.
International Literacy Day, celebrated annually on 8 September, provides an opportunity for Governments, civil society and stakeholders to highlight improvements in world literacy rates, and reflect on the remaining literacy challenges that face governments.
In 2017, Kenya joined other UNESCO member States in marking the 51st International Literacy Day with focus on the digital world.
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