Pastoralist Education in Dertu: Challenges, Milestones, Lessons Learnt and Way Forward

By

Ahmed M. Mohamed, Abdi S. Mohamed, Maurice W. Barasa and Nikki Spicer

March 2009

Supported by the Government of Japan

• Dertu: 100 km north of Garissa (Fig. 1) • Dertu is close to Dadaab refugee camp that accommodates 250,000 refugees• Livelihood the pastoral Kenyan Somalis is based mainly on livestock – camel, sheep, goats and cattle• Estimated population of 6,000• Area: 750 km2

• Soil: sandy, sandy clay• Transport: mainly camels and donkeys• Energy: mainly firewood• There is one dispensary, livestock market, a borehole, many silting water pans, a primary school & a mobile school

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Fig. 1 Map of project area

Dertu MVP

ORIGINAL CHALLENGES

• Widespread (over 90%) illiteracy & inadequate knowledge on importance of education

• Western-style education not priority. Children rear livestock, a risky venture due impact of climate change

• Low school enrollment (ages 5-18) – - 13% enrollment (376 of estimated 3,000) compared to 18% in North East Kenya (SID 2004)

• High school dropout rates 18-20% especially girl child

• Poverty – over 80% of Dertu residents received food aid

• Pastoral lifestyle – means shift by pastoralists and children to far pastures in very dry seasons away from school for long period, at times 3-4 months

• Long distance to school – one primary school in cluster

• Lack of boarding facilities (dormitories, dining hall)

• Inadequate number of teachers

• Inadequate classroom/offices & dilapidated classrooms

• Collapse of school water and sanitation systems

• Roaming livestock and wildlife interrupting on-going class lessons

• Inadequate resources

CONT. OF ORIGINAL CHALLENGES

Collapsed school pit latrine

MILESTONES

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

2006 2007 2008

Dertu Mobile School Enrolment

Dertu Primary School (Sedentary) Enrolment

• Increased school enrollment: 374 (2006) to 921(2008) (Fig. 2) inclusive of the mobile school. Monthly sensitization during health outreach campaigns and launch of the mobile school has contributed to the increase

• Reduced dropout: Unlike 2006 when 70 children dropped out of school, only eight pupils dropped out in 2007/8

Fig. 2 Enrolment in Dertu 2006 - 2008

MILESTONES

Mobile School

• Teacher - pupil ratio is 1:273. The teacher also teaches a semi-permanent cluster with 119 children with support of another teacher employed by local member of parliament. Girls form 36% of the children

• Project provided teacher with bicycle, camel, D-light, teaching materials, metallic box for storage, mobile phone & airtime of US $25/month

• ECD, Standards 1 & 2, Adult Education

Mobile teacher, his camel & phone

A mobile class under temporary shelter

A mobile adult class

MILESTONES

• Support to school feeding program

• Water and Sanitation

• Dug pit two latrines

• Classroom Rehabilitation

• School fencing

Support to feeding program

Fenced school compound & fixed metallic gates

MILESTONES

• Empower girl child, teachers and mothers in the use of sanitary pads

• Trained/facilitated teachers & School Management Committee in management of schools, community mobilization, mobile school, use of internet & computer, and HIV/AIDS

Training girls in use of pads

Giving sanitary towels to head teacher

• Support school with learning and games materials

• Solar electrified four classes (5,6,7 & 8) to promote night learning and reduce impact of understaffing

• Mobilized partners including Government and obtained three more teachers in two years

School books and playing balls

Dertu primary school football team

MILESTONES

MILESTONES

• Support school in mobile network and internet since 8th May 2008

Two Sony Ericsson phones to the head teacher and mobile teacher, respectively. Both are topped up by Zain @ US $25 per month

The school has internet service and on monthly basis topped up by Zain as above

Because of network coverage pupils can easily communicate with their pastoral parents

MILESTONES

Boys dormitory (constructed by MVP)

Girls dormitory (constructed UNICEF upon MVP request)

• Constructed two dormitories (for girls & boys) with hundred bed capacity. 100 boys & girls already using the facilities

• 100 LLITN bed nets provided for pupils sleeping in dormitories

• Restocked the school with 40 goats and sheep for income generation – 30 goats from project and 10 sheep and goats (shoats) from parents. School management committee (SMC) under the supervision of the head teacher are responsible for the animals

Education Facilitator – MVP Dertu handing over 40 shoats to chairman SMC

LESSONS LEARNT AND WAY FORWARD

• Partnerships with all stakeholders

• Female teachers promote girls enrollment and boosts parents’ confidence to have girls in boarding

• Pastoralists are more than willing to take their children to school • Promote motivation and morale for mobile teachers - diversify transport and communication • Mobile school calendar cannot follow the conventional calendar

• Mobile network is the heart of education in pastoral areas. Its availability is paramount