Baringo South Member of Parliament (MP) Charles Kamuren has urged the government through Basic Education Ministry to speed up the reconstruction of nine schools completely submerged by floods following unprecedented rise in water levels of three lakes.
Mr Kamuren said there was urgent need for the national government to relocate the seven primary and two secondary schools to safer grounds before January when the remaining classes resume learning.
Speaking when he supervised the distribution of bursary cheques in sub-locations of Perkerra, Salabani, Meisori and Endao over the weekend, the legislator regretted that if new schools will not have been built in the next one month, hundreds of children especially those set to sit for national examinations in March 2021 will be disadvantaged for a mistake not of their own.
“We want new schools established in safer grounds as promised last month by Basic Education PS Dr Kipsang Belio for our children to learn in a conducive environment like others come January next year,” he said.
He said children in the affected schools were learning under trees, a situation, he noted was not conducive at all for quality teaching to take place.
Mr Kamuren also asked the National Government to consider supplying relief food to families displaced by the raging waters of lakes Baringo, Bogoria and Lake 94 since their houses, farm lands and livelihoods have completely been shattered.
“I also urge the County government to disburse medical supplies and mosquito nets to displaced households camping at various places across the constituency. The most affected are those in Sintan, Sirata, Kampi Samaki, Kiserian, Rugus, Loboi, Meisori, Lorok and Nosukro to mention just some,” said Kamuren.
He said there was an upsurge in malaria incidences especially among children, pregnant women and the elderly because of too much rains.
On Bursary, Mr Kamuren stated that the office of Member of Parliament through the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) has distributed more than Sh 24 million to a total of 3,650 needy children in both secondary and tertiary institutions.
“We have given out bursaries to 2,156 students in secondary schools and 1,494 in tertiary institutions for students from poor households,” he stated.
He said that each of the 46 sub locations in the constituency has been allocated Sh 500,000 this financial year up from Sh 300,000.
Mr Kamuren who urged parents to ensure 100 per cent transition of children to all levels of education called on the public to always participate in bursary distribution exercise to ensure transparency, accountability and equity.
He lauded Equity Bank for sponsoring two students from the constituency on a 4-year scholarship programme and Elimu scholarship for supporting 56 students from the area.
By Joshua Kibet
