Learners in drought-ravaged counties face uncertainty as schools reopen

Hundreds of pupils are unlikely to resume learning in schools located in regions ravaged by drought and scarred by bandit attacks in Baringo and Laikipia counties.

As primary schools reopen for the second term tomorrow, head teachers have warned they have run out of stocks for the school feeding programmes and they fear pupils, especially those who walk for long distances, will stay away.

Reports also indicate that parents in drought-ravaged areas have migrated with their school going children further afield in search of water and pasture for their livestock.

Among the schools that are in dire need of food aid in Baringo North are Chepkesin, Kaborion, Kagir, Yatya, Chemoe, Ng’aratuko, Kosile, Rormoch, Tuluk, Moinonin, Kapkomon,Sibilo, Kamwetio, Chepkew, Tilingwo, Rondinin, Barketiew, Barsuswo, Loruk and Kapturo.

Others are Chepkalacha,Kositei, Katikit,Chemisik, Makany, Chesotim, Korelach, Lotita, Lodengo, Kakapul, Nasorot, Toplen, Akwichatis, Riong’o, Loiwat, Chesirimon,Toplen, Nakoko,Katagh,Krese,Sukut, Chesakam,Chemoril, Chesirimion, Donyasas and Kongor primary schools in Tiaty Sub-County.

Chesakam Primary head teacher Patrick Mudanya told the Nation the porridge that was meant for the pre-primary learners (ECDE) got depleted before the end of last term because they had to share with all the learners owing to the biting hunger.

“By the time we were closing school last term, the number of learners had drastically dropped owing to the dry spell that has led to acute food shortage. Schools were not better either because we used to share the little porridge meant for the ECDE learners with the entire school. As we speak, the flour was depleted and we don’t have a single bag for this term,” said Mr Mudanya.

“We fear that owing to the situation, most learners would opt to stay at home than walking for long distance on empty stomachs to school. Reports also indicate that several parents in the region have migrated with their children in search of pasture and water for their livestock and domestic use. The government should look for urgent interventions to address the situation so that we do not record school dropouts,” he added.

Low enrolment

Riong’o Primary School head teacher Collins Kases said most of the schools in Tiaty Sub-County are sparsely populated and children have to walk for long distances.

“There is no food at home and children normally go to school in Tiaty to get food. Now that there is none, low enrolment will be recorded in most institutions,” said Mr Kases.

According to the tutor, the enrolment in the school had dropped last term from 271 to 100 learners after most of them moved with their parents in search of water and pasture for their livestock, with the situation expected to worsen this term. The worst affected are learners in the lower classes.

80 learners

Most of the locals in the area, he said, have moved to Naudo, Paka, Silale and as far as Lomelo in the neighbouring Turkana County.

According to Lodengo Primary School head teacher Frankline Lomatong, most parents in the area have moved with their children to Kerio Valley and Paka Hills, dozens of kilometers away in search of water and pasture.

“The situation is bad here. I had less than 80 learners last term with a majority of those absent being boys, who had been turned to herdsmen further afield owing to the long dry spell experienced in the area. There are no boarding schools here forcing parents to move with their children. It is sad that most of them may end up dropping out completely,” said Mr Lomatong.

“If no urgent intervention is made to provide food to the institutions in the arid and semi-arid areas, most of them will close owing to the low enrolment. Children in such areas will not come if there is no food. The porridge we provide is not enough because there is also no food at home to sustain them,” he added.

At the far flung Nasorot village, several locals have moved to the nearby villages of Napukut, Molaso, Nadome, Mukeluk and Akule areas.

Locals in the affected villages said they are on the verge of starvation and some families are going without food for days, a situation they said might escalate if no action is urgently taken by the government.

The situation has been worsened in Baringo North, Baringo South and Tiaty sub-counties by rampant cases of insecurity, which has led to many residents being rendered paupers after all their livestock, which was their major source of livelihood, was wiped out by armed raiders from neighbouring community.

Akuro Kalale from the remote Tirioko in Tiaty y said many locals are at risk of dying of hunger.

Scarcity of food

The residents also said acute water crisis has hit the area, with water points having dried up in the last five months as a result of dry spell and malfunctioning boreholes, forcing them to look for the commodity tens of kilometres away.

“Several people, especially the aging, children and women are helpless and most of them have been left alone in their houses as the able members of the families look for water and pasture and the situation may escalate if no action is urgently done to save the situation,” said Kalale.

Paul Kipyemat from the banditry prone Arabal said the scarcity of food has also been worsened by insecurity.

“The situation here is so bad. We have been abandoned and we are left wondering if we are any lesser Kenyan. We have no food to eat and we cannot also go out for fear of being ambushed and shot by bandits. We have virtually been reduced to beggars,” said Mr Kipyemat.

On a tour to the region on Thursday last week, Defence CS Eugene Wamalwa said the government has formed a team to oversee the distribution of food aid in the hunger-ravaged counties.

He added that a Sh2 billion kitty had been set aside for the exercise.

He also noted that the cash transfer programme targeting vulnerable households will cushion the beneficiaries from the effects of drought.

“Apart from relief food, we need to expand the hunger safety nets to all arid and semi-arid counties so that instead of giving out food aid, the beneficiaries get Sh5, 400 monthly cash transfer,” added CS Wamalwa.

Affected schools

Tiaty MP William Kamket, however, raised concern that Baringo is among the worst hit counties but was locked out of the safety net programme by the government.

“We are also wondering why Baringo was left out in the hunger safety nets rolled out by the government yet it is among the arid counties worst hit by drought. We need a long term solution to this perennial menace other than the food aid.

“If the government focuses on drilling of boreholes and dams that can allow farmers to engage in irrigated agriculture and planting of fodder, then the perennial food shortage and insecurity caused by fights over limited resources would be a thing of the past,” said Mr Kamket.

Meanwhile, learning at a number of schools in the troubled Ol Moran in Laikipia may not resume yet.

The schools where learning had not resumed include Tumaini Primary, Laikipia Ranch Primary and Land of Hope Pre-Primary.

The three affected schools are located at the centre of the conflict zones in Laikipia West.

For instance, last week two National Police Reservists guarding Tumaini Primary were attacked by armed bandits.

The management of the school that is run by the St Mark Ol Moran Catholic Church had earlier relocated their pupils to the church, which is located in Ol Moran Township, after an earlier attempt by bandits to attack the school that is located at the borderline of the volatile Laikipia Nature Conservancy.

"Due to the security situation in the area we had opted to move our learners from the institution. They were continuing with learning activities at the Ol Moran Catholic Church before they proceeded for their holiday," said school administrator Peterson Muthua.

Learners were also yet to return to school at the Laikipia Wilderness Education Centre that is located inside the volatile Laikipia Nature Conservancy.

Additional reporting by Steve Njuguna