Water shortage disrupts learning in Voi schools

Education sector in Voi sub-county is facing a crisis of possible closure of several secondary schools following a severe water shortage in the region.
On Monday, over a 100 students from Mwambiti Secondary School walked out of their school to camp at the education office complaining of lack of water and poor hygiene in school.
On the same day, hundreds of Moi High School Kasighau went home as the school ran out of water while last week, Mwakichuchu secondary school was closed after the institution’s reservoirs ran dry.
While addressing the students outside his office, Voi Sub-County Education boss Mr. Sylvester Kiiru said the region was experiencing water scarcity.
He said the school’s board of management would meet and make recommendations even as he urged the students to follow the right procedures for airing their grievances.
“The water shortage issue is affecting all of us. As students, you should strive to use school-based channels to air your grievances,” he said.
He asked the students to go home until the board sits and decides on the fate of the learners.
Kuppet Executive Secretary Mr. Shedrack Mutungi said the water shortage was an issue of concern in all schools across the sub-county.
He said that all schools were facing a crisis as their reservoirs could not sustain the school population without constant replenishing.
Mr. Mutungi, a member of County Education Board, said water trucking to schools would mitigate the situation but doubted the sustainability of such an intervention due to cost.
“Schools are resulting to buying water but it is too expensive and there is need for extra plans to be made,” he said.
County Executive Committee Member for Water Mr. Gasper Kabaka said schools should not send students away while the county could provide water trucking services at a subsidized cost.
He added that there was money set aside for such emergencies and urged school heads to report water shortage in their schools.
“We are also supplying water to schools hard-hit by this shortage until the rains come,” he said.
The water crisis comes at a time the region has reported widespread water shortage due to ravaging drought sweeping the county. The problem has been compounded by frequent bursts/leakage along the aging Mzima Springs pipeline.
Last week, Coast Water Services Board issued an alert on water scarcity following major repairs of the line.
By Wagema Mwangi