This archive report was first published on 5 August 2020.
August 5, 2020 - The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented disruptions to the education sector in Kenya, with schools remaining closed since March 15. In a bid to supplement his revenue sources, a private school proprietor in Nyeri has turned to chicken rearing.
Lincon Njogu, the proprietor of Ndima Kanini Academy in Nyeri, has ventured into poultry farming to bridge the funding gap caused by the closure of schools. Parents have withheld tuition fees, leaving proprietors with running loan facilities to explore other revenue generation activities.
"We are currently reading chicken in our classrooms with teachers so that they can earn something for their upkeep. So far, we have sold three batches, and they have something to eat," Njogu told Capital FM News.
Other proprietors are appealing for a State subsidy to keep them afloat for the remainder of the year. Nyeri's Private Schools Association Coordinator Kariuki Ndegwa said unless such a fund is created, many of the institutions will close shop.
"We as an association want to urge our government to provide us with funds in the form of grants or loans. This will ensure that we are able to maintain our teachers whom we have put on unpaid leave. Otherwise, many of the schools will close shop forever," said Ndegwa.
Mureithi Ndagita, who owns a college in Karatina town, echoed Ndegwa's sentiment, saying most proprietors have encountered financial strain due to the closure of their institutions.
