Northern Kenya pupils miss school over drought

More than 1,000 pupils in Marsabit North district might not report to school for the first term since their parents have migrated to Ethiopia in search of pasture for livestock.

As schools open for initial term this year across the country, 1, 016 pupils in five primary schools in the vast desert Marsabit North district will miss classes due to a devastating drought

The worst hit schools include Balesa with 380 pupils who might not return to school this year while Turbi primary school has 290 children staying away from school if intervention measures are not put in place, according to area District Education Officer Mr Simon Kimani.

Other centres affected by the ravaging drought are El Adi, Gawole and Forole primary schools with a pupil population of 170, 136 and 140 respectively.

Balesa and El Adi primary schools have boarding facilities where children from pastoralist parents can get a reprieve but acute water shortage in the region will prevent normal school opening from taking place.

The boarding facilities at the two schools are paid for by church organisations but they could not sponsor the fuelling of water tankers because of the distance involved.

“Sponsoring organisations of Balesa and El-Adi boarding facilities could not incur watering expense since the nearest water point is 98 kilometres away across the desert in Horr town. Parents have shifted together with their children in search of water for livestock during the December holidays and they might not return quickly for opening of schools,” said Mr Kimani.

Animals have died

Pastoralists in the area have shifted to Merti district while others have crossed into southern Ethiopia with their livestock as drought ravages the region. Many animals have died from lack of water and pasture in the area.

As drought continues, an upsurge of pupils flocking to stable schools such as Maikona and Horr primary schools which have boarding facilities fully sponsored by the Catholic Church are anticipated but Education officials fear such eventuality might affect provision of quality education due to high number of pupils in classrooms.

“Pupils from other schools which could not open due to water shortage will enrol for first term this year at either Maikona or Horr Primary but that will strain the school resources and quality of education will drop,” said the DEO.

A local leader Mr Barile Abduba said some parents withdrew their children from school on suspicion that school feeding programme was not in place but the area DEO assured them that food rations have been dispatched to all schools in the district, though schools could not prepare meals for children due acute water shortage.

The area MP, Mr Ganya Chachu, urged Government ministries to intervene by supplying water to schools to enable smooth operation of education institutions. He raised doubts over the success of free primary education in far flung areas if supporting facilities are not provided by the Government.

“The government should set up fulltime boarding schools in the northern Kenya to cater for children whose parents are nomads if the government is keen on providing free education equally to all children,” said Chachu.