Mombasa Senator Mohamed Faki has urged for a comprehensive dialogue on the state of education in the county, warning that declining standards are contributing to rising insecurity among youth.
Speaking during a public engagement forum in Kisauni the senator said time has come for all education stakeholders including the County Government, school administrators, teachers, parents and learners to come together and chart a way forward for the sector.
"There is a need to have a dialogue on education in our county,” Senator Faki said. “We will spearhead a meeting with the County Government and education stakeholders to discuss the future of our schools and the learning environment for our children.”
Push for Accountability in Schools
Senator Faki noted that the planned engagement will require all headteachers to make formal presentations on academic performance and challenges facing their institutions.
“Headteachers will be expected to present to us their results, the challenges they are facing, and what support they need to improve learning outcomes,” he said. “We cannot continue to operate without clear information on performance and accountability.”
Uncoordinated School Construction Draws Criticism
Faki also criticized what he described as a “scattergun” approach to school construction by Members of Parliament, saying that the absence of a clear formula has led to wasted resources.
“MPs have now made education a kill — every MP is constructing a new school with no formula. This lack of planning does not help our counties or our students,” he said.
Education and Insecurity: A Growing Concern
The senator went further to link poor education standards with increasing rates of insecurity, particularly among young people who he said are left with few opportunities and idle time.
"The reason why we have cases of insecurity is because of poor education standards. Our students have nothing else to do apart from crime,” Faki stated.
He referenced a recent warning from the Kenya Police regarding escalating crime. urging swift action to address the underlying causes.
"Already the police has issued a stern warning on insecurity and crime. We cannot ignore the connection between a weak education system and the challenges we are seeing in our communities,” he added.
Call for Collaboration
Senator Faki concluded by calling on all partners in the education sector to work closely with his office and the County Government to ensure a holistic response to the current challenges.
"This is not about blame, but about solutions. We owe it to our children and our people to fix this sector,” he said.
