It is evident that the 4th January 2021 re-opening date will find most schools non-compliant with the Ministry of Health (MOH) anti-Covid-19 protocols.
St. Joseph’s Matoyi Primary School in Bunyala Central, Navakholo Sub County is no exception. The school head teacher Jane Wekesa laments that the institution is in dire need of classrooms since the one used by grade four pupils is in a deplorable state.
She said the school has a population of over 700 pupils and there is serious congestion in the classrooms where a class holds about 80 learners.
The head teacher said grade four pupils in the school will have to go back to the harsh reality of learning in a mud classroom with the wall on one side in danger of collapsing.
Wekesa added that the county government of Kakamega runs early childhood education centres in every ward but her school has so far not benefitted.
She said the 110 nursery pupils will continue sharing one room which would be contrary to social-distancing rule.
The school does not have a water point and they rely on harvesting rain water which makes matters worse if it does not rain.
“The Covid-19 regulations require us to have water points for pupils and teachers to wash their hands but this might be a challenge since we mainly rely on rain water,” she observed.
Wekesa is now appealing to the Ministry of Education, well-wishers and the Navakholo NG-CDF to move with speed and help rectify the situation before January.
By Sammy Mwibanda
