Ministry told to act on flooded schools

By ROBERT KIPLAGAT

Baringo, Kenya: Baringo County Assembly members have expressed concern over failure by five schools affected by floods in the area to re-open for the third term.

The assembly wants the Ministry of Education to ensure the children go back to school.

The MCAs, who discussed the matter during House proceedings yesterday, accused the national government of failing to take steps to ensure learning resumes in the schools.

“This issue of Lake Baringo bursting its banks is serious as it has affected learning and we need to know what action the county and national governments have taken to rectify the situation,” said Kolloa Ward MCA Solomon Makal.

He said while schools across the country have re-opened, hundreds of children whose schools were submerged are still pondering their next move.

Julia Letangule, a nominated MCA, told the assembly that the delay in re-opening the schools or providing an alternative may affect pupils preparing for this year’s Kenya Certificate of Primary Education exam.

“The lake keeps swelling and hippos and crocodiles pose a threat to pupils going to school. We fear academic performance in the national exam in the affected schools may be greatly affected,” said Letangule.

House Committee on Education chair Peter Amasile (Tangulbei/Korossi), who had a hard time responding to questions from the members, said he was liaising with the county minister for education to find  a solution to the crisis.

Recently, Interior Coordination Cabinet Secretary Joseph Ole Lenku toured the area and pledged that the Government would provide tents to schools affected by the floods.

Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (Cord) leaders led by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga also visited the area recently and donated Sh300,000 to victims of the floods.

They also pledged 400 iron sheets to enable affected families rebuild their houses.

The former PM also urged the Government to resettle all the residents living near Lake Baringo that were displaced by floods. He said the Government should establish the real cause of the expansion of the lake to avert more losses in future.