Samburu girls fail to enroll in college over lack of hostels

Education stakeholders in North Eastern region have raised concerns over the lack of hostels for girls in the region.

The lack of hostels in Technical Training Institutes (TTIs) has locked out girls from Samburu, Turkana, Borana, and other communities from training opportunities, as parents are hesitant to let them find accommodation in trading centres.

Samburu Technical and Vocational College in Samburu county is just one of the many TTIs where enrollment of girls remains low due to lack of hostels.

The institute’s principal, Lucy Mutembei noted that while the population of students taking technical courses currently stands at 2,800, only 60 per cent are from Samburu, with the girls being few.

Speaking during donation of training equipment for various courses by the USAID Nawiri programme on Monday, the principal said even the rescue centres which host girls from forced marriages, FGM, and other challenges cannot let the victims enroll in institutions that lack hostels.

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“We have the rescue centres for girls. They have rescued them from the same challenges, they cannot send them to the same challenges,” she said.

"That is why you see the enrollment rate of girls is low," she said.

Jane Leparunya, 25 from Nakuama village and Samo Lepina, 27, are some of the beneficiaries of the Ujuzi Mashinani programme which has taken the training to the satellite campuses in far-flung villages.