Schools fail to open due to flooding, collapsed toilets

Kongo Primary School in Kiambu subcounty is among learning institutions in the country which failed to open for the second day due to flooding.

The school which is between two private coffee farms is not accessible by pupils since the entrance is flooded.

Priscilla Wanjiru, a teacher at the school, said the institution which has a population of over 300 pupils, has been affected by water from two dams which broke banks.

“As you come along the main road a man-made dam bas broken its banks and water is flowing on the road. There is another dam which is  just a few metres from the school. The school main entrance all the way to the classrooms is flooded," Wanjiru said.

She said the school is surrounded by thickets where the watchman had created a path for the pupils to access the school.

“The Ministry of Education officials and the area MCA assessed the situation and found that the path created is not safe for the pupils to pass as it might be infested by snakes and other dangerous animals since it is inside a thicket,” she said.

She said the pupils from lower grades will not be able to navigate through the water overflowing the main road to the school and may not have adequate supervision of adults while coming and going out of school.

“We know that children love to play in the water and we are afraid they might think of going for a swim or play in the water,” she said.

The dams are home to several hippopotamus which have been seen roaming near the school hence posing a danger to the pupils.

Teresiah Mueni a parent said they could not send their children to school due to the danger posed by flooding. She urged the ministry to find alternative for the pupils to learn and not be left behind by their peers.

“The water is a lot and if the ministry cannot find a way to drain it, it would be better for our children stay at home,” Mueni said.

John Mbugua a parent said the situation is bad because they have no way of draining the water flooding the school and which has also made the roads impassable.

“The school is inside coffee plantations where there is no habitation which poses a danger for our children if left unattended,” he said.

Lawrence Mwaura  Ting’ang’a ward MCA, said it is not viable for the pupils to go to school as there is no accessibility with the area also being infested by snakes. He said the area has a lot of quarries which have now been filled with water and this has seen the snakes move out.

“The dams have hippos and on the ground there are snakes which have come out of their hiding places due to water, this is a threat to our children,” Mwaura said.

He said the neighbouring school ACK Kamiti Anmer Primary School where the pupils of Kongo can be relocated to has a challenge of collapsed toilets making the task impossible.

“The Kamiti Anmer School administration in conjunction with the parents have come together to raised Sh170,000 to rebuild the collapsed toilets,” he said.

He said both national and county governments should team up and address the matter and ensure the learners have a conducive environment for learning.

Kiambu Town MP Machua Waithaka said through NG-CDF emergency kitty the affected schools will be helped.

“We are addressing the flooding in Kongo primary, meanwhile the pupils will be accommodated in the neighbouring schools so that they are not left behind by other learners. The toilets which have collapsed will also be rebuilt as we ensure there is a conducive environment for the learners,” Machua said.

A spot check of the learning process in the subcounty showed that most of the schools have resumed learning.