- The school feeding programme will make it easy to retain children in school, leading to better performance in the national examinations.
- Mwabire says a simple meal like githeri (a boiled mixture of beans and maize) can help.
The national government should revive the school feeding programme in the 11 counties hit hard by drought, Ganze MP Teddy Mwambire has said.
The legislator on Monday said this will enable children to remain in school, even as the dry period continues. He spoke when commissioning classrooms in three schools.
Mwambire opened two classrooms at Mulungu wa Mawe, four classrooms at Bodoi and four others at Kastsofeni. The projects were funded by the NG-CDF office.
Katsofeni had only one classroom after the previous structures were destroyed by strong winds a few years ago.
Mwambire said the drought has disrupted learning in his constituency, which is one of the hard-hit areas in Kilifi, making it difficult for children to focus on studies.
A feeding programme would retain children in school, hence improved performance in the national examinations, he said.
“We have a very big problem in Ganze. Absenteeism in our schools is because many children are affected by hunger. You cannot keep a hungry child in class.”
Mwambire said the government plans to distribute relief food in the famine-hit regions as a short-term measure that cannot address the problem in schools.
“I urge the government to direct the Ministry of Education to revive the school feeding programme in all public schools to ensure our children remain in school throughout the seasons of the year.”
Mwabire said a simple meal like githeri (a boiled mixture of beans and maize) would help as it did in the early 1990s.
Palakumi Migumo Miri assistant chief Mary Kazia said the drought situation has affected all households.
She said it is difficult for a child who has gone without food for three days to concentrate in class. This contributes to a high rate of absenteeism.
“Drought has really affected this region. For the past three years, we have not had good rains, leading to poor yields. Our homesteads are facing acute water and food shortage as a result of the prolonged dry spell,” Kazia said.
The residents are using water from River Nzovuni, which is not safe for drinking. Women trek several kilometres in search of water.
“Children go to school late or fail to attend classes as they accompany their parents in search of food and water,” she said.
Benedict Thethe Kaingu, a Bodoi resident, said the drought has subjected the young girls to danger as they walk long distances in search of water in caves.
“We also ask the government to supply water in our schools as this is now an emergency,” Kaingu said.