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Over sixty teachers drawn from Ndhiwa Sub County have been trained to effectively tackle social challenges affecting teenagers.
The training which targeted teachers from Nyokal Division was conducted by an organisation dubbed Nyokal Women Network.
The organisation’s programme officer Margret Aswani said that the training equipped teachers with skills to engage adolescents and resolve their challenges.
She said students were expected to open up and share experiences in dealing with social vices such as teenage pregnancies.
Aswani said many teenage victims of gender-based violence fail to report the cases until it is too late.
She said the training has equipped teachers with skills on how they can engage teenagers fight sexual abuse.
“We are trying to solve issues affecting teenagers and women by involving teachers to take up the matters,” Ms. Swani said, adding that tutors drawn from 32 schools will have private sessions with the students.
“The teachers expect to get an insight on human rights violations committed on their students.” Aswani said.
She said male and female students had different sessions with their teachers who offered psychosocial support to the learners.
“We expect the learners to speak freely about issues affecting them,” Ms Aswani said.
Upon confession, teachers will scale up the matters to relevant authorities.
Ms Aswani said cases that requires police intervention will be reported and necessary action taken against perpetrators.
She said poverty is the key driver of teenage pregnancies in Ndhiwa.
Mr Jackson Amboga, a teacher at Sibuoche Primary School thanked the organisers saying that they were now better equipped.
“We are going to ensure the rights of the children are safeguarded and reduce vices that lead to school dropouts,” he said.
Mr Polycap Kitembe, a teacher at Kodida Primary School said he is confident that the skills they acquired will have an impact on the lives of adolescents.
“The future of this region lies in the hands of the teenagers. If we fail to mould them now, they will suffer,” he said.
By Davis Langat