This archive report was first published on 25 August 2020.
As the new academic year approaches, parents and pupils of Gina Primary School in Kamenya Location, South Kabuoch ward, Homa Bay county, are facing a daunting challenge: the school's infrastructure is in a deplorable state.
Speaking to Nyakundi Report on Monday, parents expressed their concerns about the lack of proper classrooms, which they fear may force their children to miss out on learning when schools reopen in January.
The school's management committee chairman, Silvester Odiyo, echoed the parents' concerns, stating that the lack of classrooms and desks puts pupils at risk of contracting Covid-19. Many pupils currently sit on the floor or share the few available desks.
According to Odiyo, 'We are worried that our children will not open school due to lack of classrooms. It is ironical that some schools are struggling to expand good classrooms yet we don’t have any.'
The parents have accused the national and Homa Bay county governments of neglecting the school and are appealing to Ndhiwa MP Martin Owino, the Ministry of Education, the county government, and well-wishers to intervene and rescue the pupils.
As one parent, Opiyo, put it, 'We appeal for their intervention because the future prosperity of a community is determined by education. Failure to prepare the infrastructure for academics will jeopardise economic growth of the community.'
The school, which has over 400 pupils and six teachers, also lacks latrines, forcing teachers and pupils to share a two-door latrine. As Andrew Midigo, a parent, pointed out, 'It is shameful to see pupils share latrines with teachers. Gina Primary needs help.'
Area Chief Calvin Onyango has also weighed in, stating that a good infrastructure is key to good academic performance. 'We cannot expect good academic performance here. The school needs financial support,' he said.
