- She said some learners transfer to other schools because of the poor infrastructure, few desks and classroom floors without cement.
- Chome thanked Ajuma Foundation and Chipper Cash for the donation saying it will help many learners improve their education.
Image: ALPHONCE GARI
Education stakeholders in Kilifi county want the government to revive the school feeding programme to retain students in classes and increase the enrolment.
They said students from poverty-stricken families are dropping out of school while others miss classes because of hunger, making it a major threat to education.
Among the areas highly affected is Junju ward in Kilifi South which has high poverty levels and some schools have very low enrolment rate.
A visit to Mapawa Primary School, revealed that poor infrastructure, sanitation and lack of feeding programme has contributed to low enrolment.
The school built in 1974 has a population of 340 students, five toilets, old classrooms, some with no roofs.
The school headteacher Philomena Chome said the number of learners at the school has been going down.
Chome spoke on Thursday, during a ceremony of distribution of 3000 books.
The books were donated by Kenyan super model Ajuma Nasenyana through her Ajuma Foundation in partnership with Chipper Cash, a cross border payment company.
She said some learners transfer to other schools because of the poor infrastructure, few desks and classroom floors without cement.
“Maybe it because of the dilapidated classrooms that pupils go to other schools and lack of a feeding programme makes learners miss classes," she said.
Chome said many children come to school on empty stomachs.
She said when they had a feeding programme enrolment at school was very high.
“We are requesting that the programme should be revived because it will help bring learners back to school,” she said.
Chome thanked Ajuma Foundation and Chipper Cash for the donation saying it will help many learners improve their education.
Anthony Muli, the school board of management chairman also cited dilapidated classrooms, lack of feeding programme for the low enrolment.
“At 10am some students begin sleeping because they are hungry, some even collapse because of the pangs of hunger," he said.
Chipper Cash Kenya managing director Leon Kiptum said the Ajuma Foundation is donating books to 3200 students approximately and plan to give 60,000 books at the end of the year.
He said they invested Sh7.5 million to the Ajuma Foundation to distribute books across in marginalised counties.
Kiptum said they have been to Taita Taveta Mombasa, Kilifi and Lamu to and they will be moving to central and western Kenya soon.
“We partnered with Ajuma because our founders are Africans, who went are keen on education and they want to give back to the society,” he said.
He said their company plans to begin a scholarship programme to boost education standards for the needy.
(Edited by Tabnacha O)
Image: ALPHONCE GARI