Learning in a section of schools in Garissa and Tana River counties in areas that were severely hurt by the recent flash floods occasioned by the El Nino rains may be delayed due to the effects of the floods, which washed off classrooms, books, chairs, and sank toilets, making it hard for students to resume studies.
Sections of other schools were used as internal displacement camps for flood victims, where, although the victims have moved back to their homes, some renovations may need to be undertaken to restore the schools for learning.
KNA visited Hatata Primary School yesterday, which is just a few kilometers from the River Tana, to assess the situation as the schools opened for a new academic year, where from afar, one can tell the effects of the unforgiving waters that left huge piles of mud in classrooms, swept out the desks and destroyed all the books in the library.
We spoke to the head teacher, Halima Mohamed, who said the school has three sections: pre-primary, primary, and junior secondary, which have a total of over 700 students, and that although the teachers have resumed duty, they don’t know how they will accommodate the students before the renovations have been made.
Halima called out on the education stakeholders and well-wishers to come together and help them in a quick response to avert the looming delay in learning which will disadvantage the students.
“We have had a meeting with the board of management, and the parents and our books were the most affected by the floods. Our classes and toilets need repairs to be able to be used. Our water tanks have also been filled with flood waters, and they also need to be cleaned because, at the moment, we do not have clean water or electricity,” Halima said.
“We need a quick response from all relevant stakeholders so that we can save the situation and resume learning,” she added.
Mohamed Osman, who is the board’s chairperson, said that the situation at the school is dire, adding that due to his proximity to the flood area, it has always been affected by floods.
He called on the parents to come together and do the little they could, such as cleaning the mud off classrooms and other activities to repair the school.
By Erick Kyalo
