West Pokot residents have asked the government to intensify infrastructural facilities in schools within the region to help more children have access to education in more conducive environments.

The participants during a stakeholders’ forum on the 2024/25 to 2026/27 financial years’ medium-term budget-making process underscored the value of empowering schools through enhancing infrastructure, arguing that education will have a great impact on alleviating the issues afflicting the county.

They explained that cases of insecurity bedevilling the county might be resulting from high levels of illiteracy; hence, making education a priority will help empower many children, thus bringing an end to banditry.

“Some of our schools are in poor states because they lack modern facilities. We want the government to allocate more resources towards school infrastructure so that our children get more attracted to learning institutions,” stated Phillip Lomongin, a participant.

Lomongin added that cases of insecurity had gone down in areas where education had been prioritised, calling on the government to increase funding for the sector.

The participants noted that the establishment of peace schools along border points was bearing fruit, hence the need for more in those conflict-prone areas.

At the same time, the participants observed that insecurity issues in the region were being blown out of proportion, since the situation on the ground may not be as dire as Kenyans imagine.

Lomongin suggested that the national government should put more budgets into peacebuilding efforts by making elders the centre of such missions.