Lamu learners in terror-prone areas yet to reopen school over floods

@ppcheti

Learners in terror-prone areas in Lamu county have yet to report to school for the second term as their only school, the Mokowe Arid Zone Primary School remains marooned by flooding waters.

Over 700 learners schooling at the school in Mokowe Lamu West have not set foot in class even as second term enters its third week after schools countrywide reopened on May 8.

Learners from ECDE to Grade 8 candidates at the school have been affected as the school remains inaccessible owing to flooding caused by the heavy downpour witnessed in the area.

The school  was founded in 1992 to specifically cater to learners from underprivileged communities like the Bonis, Sanye and Orma in Lamu county.

Since 2014, the school has become a permanent rescue learning institution for the over 300 learners from the Boni community after all the five schools in their villages were closed down due to al Shabaab attacks that marred the region that year.

Basuba, Milimani, Mangai, Mararani and Kiangwe primary schools close to the Lamu-Somalia border were all torched and vandalised by militants between 2014 and 2017 after which teachers fled for dear life.

Boni learners have to be airlifted or transported by boat to their school as the major road connecting the villages to the rest of Lamu has numerously been targeted by Shabaab militants who plant explosives targeting security vehicles and sometimes, select civilians.

The school has 716 pupils with over 200 being from the terror-prone Basuba ward on the Kenya-Somalia border.

Speaking on Wednesday, Lamu County Education director Joshua Kaaga confirmed that the school remains closed, a situation he blamed on the poor drainage of feeder roads in the area which have caused flooding at the school.

“The feeder roads have been located so close to the school with most of the trenches facing the school compound. When the rains came, all the water was directed into the school and now it’s flooded and hence can’t be used in its current state. All pupils have not reported back for second term,” Kaaga said.

He however said the water levels were slowly reducing and that the school may probably be reopened next week if the water will have dried up completely.

“We are expecting a visit from the County Public Health department this week at the school. They will be able to tell us if it’s okay to reopen next week depending on the level of water by then,” he said.

Parents at the school have called on the government to put up alternative classrooms in the neighbourhood to enable their children continue attending classes even as they wait for the floods to subside.

“Our children are behind their learning schedule by three weeks. We need alternative classes because now we know that this is something that will be happening every time it rains considering the trenches are permanent,”said Fatuma Khalid of Basuba.

Affected parents in terror prone areas observed that their children have always been late in reporting back to school after every holiday for one logistical challenge or another.

“It has always been insecurity on our roads that for the longest time has been the reason for our children opening late. Now it is flooding. The rest of Kenyan children are in class but our own are still at home three weeks on,” said Mohamed Sabir of Mararani village.