Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) Chief executive Twalib Mbarak has attributed low education standards and increasing drug abuse cases to men abandoning the responsibility of educating their children after breaking up with their wives.
Speaking in Malindi during the annual Iftar Dinner and fundraising organized by Malindi Education Development Association Mr Mbarak said parenting has collapsed in the coastal coast region as women are bringing up the children alone whether they are divorced or not.
“Marriages and divorces are there those women who divorced are taking the role of parenting while those men still married have abandoned their wives. The sad scenario in all this is that some men could be having money for Miraa and having fun but cannot provide for education of their children,” he said.
Mr Mbarak said if children lack proper parental guidance at childhood stage, then they stand to be spoilt and end up in drugs.
“We have seen women who are doctors, accountants we have a school called Sheikh Khalifa the role model of Coast why don’t we have10 schools of such kind,” he said.
The EACC CEO said there used to be schools like Shimo la Tewa that did well but the performance has really gone down of late.
He said it was sad that sometimes he sees advertisements in the country seeking 10 positions of engineers but out of like 400 applicants only six could be from the coast region.
“We would like to see families where one is an engineer, another one a KDF major, DPP not going to a home and be told this one is a drug addict, that one is a beach boy we cannot continue that way it is sad,” he said.
Those present during the fundraiser included Director of Public Prosecution Nurdin Haji Mombasa businessman Suleiman Shahbal who was the chief guest representing interior Cabinet secretary Fred Matiangi, Kilifi governor Amason Kingi together with Senator Stewart Madzayo and Malindi Member of parliament Aisha Jumwa among other Muslim scholars.
Mr Haji hailed MEDA initiative saying education was important that’s why they came to support fundraise to help in promoting education for the needy.
“We are with you and shall stand with you to ensure that children get education so that all good things happen in Malindi,’’ he said.
Mr Shahbal called on the officials of MEDA to begin a new strategy of supporting standard eight and form four candidates with tuition in the forthcoming year as it would help in boosting the performance in national examination.
“Let’s try in 2021-2022 and watch the passing rate from standard eight to form one and form four to university from this year we see if we can increase the performance by 50 percent,” he said.
Governor Kingi attributed the poor education standards in the coastal region to poverty saying majority of the bright students hail from poor families that cannot afford the fees,’’ he said.
The governor personally said he was forced to knock doors of politicians while schooling in Alliance high school and University as his father was poor.
The Governor’s administration gave out Sh1 million during the fundraiser that managed to raise over Sh. 5 million.
Prof Athman Mjahid an education Lecturer who owns the Ummul Qura institution and chairman of the East African Bajun Elders urged leaders and those well-off people to devote their wealth by supporting in education so as to help transform the society.
