The government has launched a program to decongest overpopulated primary schools in Voi sub-county through construction of new schools and bolstering the number of classrooms in existing schools to accommodate the burgeoning number of learners.
The latest learning institution to be opened in the region is Mwambani Primary School in Kasighau area which is expected to accommodate learners from several villages while at the same time easing the massive pressure from Bughuta Primary School. The latter has over 850 learners.
Speaking while commission three classrooms at Mwambani Primary School, Voi Member of Parliament (MP) Jones Mlolwa termed the project as a double achievement noting that it would address the overcrowding at Bughuta Primary while at the same time saving young learners the challenge of trekking over six kilometre every morning to get to school.
“Opening this school has allowed us to kill two birds with one stone. We have reduced the time and distance used to get to school as well as starting the process of decongestion at Bughuta Primary,” he said. The school is funded through the National Government- Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF).
The interim school committee was directed to start the process of collecting the necessary documents needed for registration of the new institution.
The MP said the new school was in line with the government’s plan to expand existing infrastructure and build new schools in a bid to decongest learning institutions in the country. He asked the local administrators to work closely with the community to ensure parental involvement to help the school attract more learners.
Voi Sub-County Director of Education, Silvester Kiilu emphasized on the importance of constructing schools in rural and disadvantaged areas to achieve improved school enrolment. He assured the locals continued support to ensure the school fully picks up.
He further noted the challenges and security threats the learners were being exposed to as they walked long distances to school.
“We are grateful that our children who have been walking for over six kilometres to attend school at Bughuta will now access education close to home thus avoiding the utter fatigue and various threats on the roads,” he said.
He however cautioned parents against transferring their children who were already enrolled in other schools until the new institution was fully registered. He pointed out learners had unique numbers allocated by the Ministry of Education which would be impossible to allocate until the new school was registered.
Mr. John Mnyamwezi, the school’s interim chair, said the institution had been long overdue. He added that hundreds of children from the village trekked long distances to access education from Bughuta Primary School which was the nearest school.
He also said that local learners were faced with a myriad of dangers including threats from wild animals that lurked in the thick bush. He cited herds of elephants that strayed from Tsavo National Park as a risk to learners who used paths through the bush to get to school.
“The school is now closer to the homes where these children come from. We are happy as parents that the risk exposed to wild animals has been reduced,” he said.
The NG-CDF intends to construct a fence around the school as a way of enhancing security for learners and teaching staff in the school.
Other learning institutions where additional classes are being constructed to address overcrowding include Mwanyambo Primary School with over 1,000 learners and Voi Primary School.
By Raphew F Mukuyia
