School children are among hundreds of people facing acute water shortage and starvation in Baringo County.
An investigation confirmed that pupils may drop out of school if the Government does not supply them relief food and water.
Some 15 primary and secondary schools have been affected.
This has hampered learning in some primary schools in Tiaty sub-county, as the drought takes a toll on many parts of Baringo, Mogotio, Baringo North and Baringo South sub-counties. Some families with school going children have migrated, further compounding the matter. Major rivers and water pans in the area have dried up.
A spot check by The Standard last week found residents and their livestock scrambling for water fetched from river beds. Affected schools include Chesitet, Chesakam, Nakoko and Nadan.
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Learning has not resumed at Chesitet after pupils failed to return from home after the December holidays. On Friday, desperate thirsty parents looking for water descended on the school's plastic water tank and rolled it down in efforts to collect few litres of water at the bottom.
With learners and teachers away from school, residents use a computer classroom to charge their mobile phones for free as others relax on the cold floors of classrooms away from the scorching sun.
The head teacher, Fredrick Nakat, said learning in the school has been paralysed for two weeks now and he appealed for assistance to enable the young learners resume school.
“Food and water remain our biggest headache, with the two obstacles unresolved, the future of the young generation remains unpromising,” he said. At Chesakam, pupils’ population has dropped drastically, with the few children remaining relying on water from shallow wells dug along River Nginyang.
