Recent efforts to advance the education of girls in Kenya have yielded significant progress, but a new challenge has emerged. While issues such as teenage pregnancies and early marriages have historically contributed to high dropout rates, today it is the rising cost of education that is forcing many girls to abandon their studies.
This troubling trend was a key focus of discussions at an alumni meeting held at Oyugi Oganga Girls High School in Migori, where education stakeholders voiced their concerns and urged the government to act.
Jane Juma, an alumna of the school, highlighted the financial barriers that many students face. “The cost of education is so high that even after primary school, we normally request the community to step in. That’s why we, as alumni, have come in because we have realized that there are some learners who can’t afford to pay their school fees,” Juma explained.
The high cost of education is increasingly becoming a barrier for many families. As school fees and related expenses continue to rise, numerous girls are finding it impossible to continue their education, despite their willingness and academic potential.
This situation is particularly disheartening given the steps made in recent years to address other barriers to girls’ education, such as cultural practices.
At the alumni meeting, speakers highlighted the irony that, just as efforts to reduce dropout rates due to teenage pregnancies and early marriages are beginning to show results, the financial burden of education is now undermining these gains.
They pointed out that for many families, the decision to pull their daughters out of school is not a matter of choice but of financial necessity. The inability to pay school fees is now a more significant factor in dropout rates than ever before.
The stakeholders present made a plea to the government to intervene and alleviate the financial pressures on families. They called for measures to reduce the cost of learning to ensure that the progress made in promoting girls’ education is not reversed.
