Eleven primary schools in Silale Ward of Tiaty Constituency, Baringo County are faced with imminent closure due to acute water shortage.
The water crisis occasioned by prolonged drought ravaging the region would lead to closure of Nathan, Nasorot, Naudo, Napeikore, Riong’o, Napukut, Orishon, Kitailem, Toplen, Silale ECDE and Akule primary schools, as residents have already started migration from the affected areas in search water for domestic use and their livestock.
When KNA visited Riong’o primary school and other parts of Silale ward, it was evident that the little water collected in school tanks during previous rains was depleted and children had to survive without water the whole day.
Following the severe drought and famine, absenteeism among pupils was very high, as parents engaged them in looking for the precious commodity for more than 30 kilometers away.
The only TSC teacher at Riong’o Victor Nakomer says the school, which last year had a population of 159, currently has only 127 pupils, majority of them being absent.
Nakomer said they exhausted the little harvested water two weeks ago and they might be forced to close the school if the government or charitable organizations do not intervene by supplying water.
“There is no water at all in the school and we cannot continue learning without it anymore. It has reached a situation where teachers lack water even for bathing,” he warned.
The teacher, speaking with difficulties having not taken water for almost two days and without a shower for three days, called for remedial measures to curb the perennial water challenge that recurs year in year out.
The water crisis is also intolerable in the nursery school unit (ECDE) whereby only 84 pupils out of 127 were present during the fact finding tour last week.
ECDE teacher at Riong’o primary Judy Komen said she has been facing more challenges following the water crisis because her learners were young and could not tolerate the situation which has affected enrolment and retention of children at the centre.
Parents, equally affected by the water shortage are streaming to schools hoping against hopes that they might get only little to drink but all in vain.
Two parents, Tebalinga Chokwata and Hosea Kipkukat expressed their worries that the water shortage was forcing their children to skip classes most of the time to help their families in search for water and pasture for goats and sheep, as men have moved to the hills and valleys with the cows.
They are now urging the County government to bring water boozers and restock the school’s water tanks to enable learning continue smoothly.
“When devolution was ushered in 2013, we thought the situation would improve because the county would allocate funds for digging of dams and pans, but this was not to be since money was spent in other ventures,” lamented Kipkukat.
He urged Governor Stanley Kiptis to start concentrating on pertinent issues like the perennial water problem in Tiaty area which is contributing to high school dropout rate.
Silale MCA Nelson Lotela who took the press around the ward to assess the water situation regretted that the 11 schools in his area were on the verge of closure and learning interrupted, because of the severe drought affecting the entire constituency.
Lotela said the residents were migrating in every direction in search of water as far as Lake Baringo, Kapedo, Nginyang and Nathan.
“We are calling upon stakeholders like Kenya Red Cross, Geothermal Development Company, World Vision, and Acted Kenya to respond to save the lives of my people especially vulnerable groups like expectant mothers, elderly and children,” he said.
The MCA also urged the County government to also provide them with a water boozer just like the other five Sub-Counties because they were hardest hit by the perennial water crisis.
“The government and non-governmental organizations have drilled several boreholes in this region but most of the water is unfit for human consumption due to high presence of fluoride, which is a health hazard to the people, who have been complaining of stomachache whenever they take it,” said Lotela.
However, he suggested that building a boarding facility in the nomadic area would solve the learning problem in that when parents move with their livestock in search of water the children are able to remain at school.
The water crisis has also affected the neighboring Riong’o dispensary where it has hampered medical service delivery to the patients.
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