Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir has urged education stakeholders to strengthen support systems for learners, warning that schools must address emerging challenges affecting students before they escalate into crises.
Speaking during the 49th Annual National Conference of the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA) in Mombasa, Nassir said the changing social environment requires a more proactive approach to student welfare, discipline and mental health.
"The country has been experiencing quite a lot. We are seeing some things unprecedented. We can either bury our heads in the sand or be proactive in nature," he told school heads.
The governor noted that recent incidents reported in schools across the country have raised concerns about the wellbeing of learners, making it necessary for teachers, parents, government agencies and lawmakers to work together in finding lasting solutions.
As part of efforts to improve safety in schools, Nassir said the county government has already carried out fire safety assessments in 18 schools and plans to extend the exercise to all learning institutions in Mombasa.
He also revealed that the county recently conducted a confidential survey among secondary school students to better understand the issues affecting learners. According to Nassir, the initiative received about 12,000 responses from students who openly shared their concerns.
One of the key findings, he said, was the growing need for counselling and emotional support among learners.
"Students are crying because they are asking for someone to talk to," Nassir said.
In response, the county government plans to deploy counsellors to schools to provide psychosocial support and help address challenges before they worsen.
"We will be sending counsellors to the students so that before anything happens, let us be proactive instead of being reactive," he added.
The governor further highlighted the success of Mombasa County's "No Child Left Behind" programme, which supports learners through school feeding initiatives. He said 76.9 per cent of students in the county have already benefited from the programme, with efforts underway to ensure all learners are covered.
"It is our duty to provide a learning environment that is ideal for both the current and future generations," Nassir said.
He called on all stakeholders in the education sector to work together to create an environment where every learner can thrive academically, socially and emotionally.
