Locals within Lelmokwo Primary School in Kesses Sub-County have expressed fears that the public learning institution might soon be shut down.
This follows revelations that the school has no toilets and a supply of clean water.
According to some of the parents with learners at the school, the over 200 pupils depend on only two toilets which they share with teachers.
Further, a borehole they have been using for the last 10 years recently went dry, leaving the school with no access to a reliable water supply.
“We only have two toilets which are almost full and risky with several cracks. The two are being used by more than 10 teachers together with about 250 learners,” said Lelmokwo Primary School Board of Management chair Mercy Korir.
“Due to congestion our pupils are forced to run to nearby forest and maize plantations to relieve themselves,” she added.
The board chair further revealed that it has been over 8 years since the school received support in infrastructure development from the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF).
Funds from NG-CDF are usually used in improving facilities in public primary schools among them the construction of classrooms and other amenities such as toilets.
Insufficient classrooms
To address the water shortage, learners are now forced to carry water from their homes every morning.
“Some of our learners come from as far as five kilometres and are forced to carry water to school on a daily basis,” Korir said.
Similar sentiments were shared by Andrew Kibet, representative of junior secondary school parents.
Kibet noted that aside from the lack of toilets, the school also has insufficient classrooms.
Some of the classes have since been set up under a tree.
“The last time we saw new classes in this school was during the regime of former MP (Dr Swarup Mishra). The number of pupils has increased since then. We need more classes,” he said.
The school also has a shortage of teachers, and parents want the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to post more.
Contacted over the poor state of the Lelmokwo Primary School, Tulwet/Chuiyat MCA Julius Songok said his office has already initiated a process of addressing the issue.
“It’s true the school has a challenge of having toilets and it is part of what we have budgeted for,” Songok said.
However, he admitted that he was not aware of the water issue.
“I will follow it up with my people on the ground,” he assured.
