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The Government is concerned about the large number of refugee children in the country, Education minister George Saitoti said yesterday.
"The Government has been forced to cater for the education of refugee children when its budget can hardly meet the needs of its own citizens," he said.
He said the strain on resources to finance education had been made worse by the introduction of free primary education.
Prof Saitoti was speaking to the Press in Mombasa during a three-day ministerial conference on education in countries affected by conflict.
"Refugee children are traumatised or have been exposed to abuses which make it difficult for them to adjust to ordered and disciplined environments such as schools," he said.
The minister said educating children in Africa was hampered by early marriages, Aids, tribal clashes and insecurity due to cattle rustling, and the problem of street children.
"Following the crisis facing children in Africa, laughter is a stranger, hunger and even deaths are constant companions, and abuse of every kind a daily occurrence," he said.
Recognising people's cultures and similarities among them could reduce conflict, he said.
Ministers or their representatives from 23 sub-Saharan Africa are attending the meeting at the Whitesands hotel.
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