HEALTH RISK

School with 800 pupils seeks help to build damaged latrines

The school has a shortage of classes and the available ones are dilapidated.

In Summary

• Head teacher Margaret Mwangale said the pupils risk contracting cholera and other diseases.

• Students have been forced to relieve themselves in the open, posing health risks as the only alternative is a single toilet for ECD classes.

Wekelekha RC Primary School pupils
Wekelekha RC Primary School pupils
Image: JOHN NALIANYA

A Bungoma school with 800 pupils is appealing to well-wishers to help build new toilets after the old ones were damaged during the Covid-19 long break.

Wekelekha RC Primary School teachers and students were shocked to find the eleven toilets completely destroyed when they reopened on Monday. The school is located in Musikoma ward, Kanduyi constituency.

Headteacher Margaret Mwangale said the pupils risk contracting cholera and other diseases. The learners have been forced to relieve themselves in the open, posing health risks as the only alternative is a single toilet for ECD classes.

 
 

Mwangale called on area MP Wafula Wamunyinyi and Governor Wycliffe Wangamati to intervene and help put up modern toilets.

"We as a school completely lack toilets and this is very dangerous to the teachers and pupils," she said.

She said the school has a shortage of classes, and the available ones are dilapidated.

"We have only eleven classes in the entire school, something that is also a challenge bearing in mind the health [social distancing] directives on Covid-19," she said.

On the reopening, 55 out of the 75 Class 8 candidates reported back, while 53 out of 76 Grade 4 pupils resumed learning. Some, however, didn't have masks as required.

Mwangale said classes won't be enough when the schools fully reopen. In addition, they only have 13 teachers who won't be enough to teach extra classes.

Edited by EKibii

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