A primary school in Machakos county is calling on Governor Wavinya Ndeti to urgently construct new Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) classrooms for their learners.
Timothy Maweu, Head teacher of Kiamba Primary School in Matungulu sub-county, decried that their ECDE classrooms are in a deplorable state and poses a significant risk to learners’ safety.
“The structure is in such a poor condition that it could collapse at any time. It’s made of mabati supported by wooden poles, which are now weakened by termite infestation,” he said.
Maweu expressed worry over lack of unsafe learning space when schools reopen next year.
“The learners will probably have to study outside because we can’t risk their lives in such a dangerous structure,” he said.
During a visit by Education Newspaper, it was observed that the floor of the existing classroom is rugged and riddled with pot holes, further compounding the safety concerns.
The congestion in ECDE classrooms is equally alarming. With only two classrooms available for 150 students, the school far exceeds the recommended capacity of 45 pupils per classroom.
“We are forced to cram about 75 learners in one classroom because there are no alternatives. There are no other public schools nearby to ease the congestion,” Maweu said.
In addition to the infrastructure challenges, the school is grappling with a lack of clean water. Their borehole has stopped functioning, forcing the school to purchase water from a neighboring homestead.
By Agnes Orang’o
You can also follow our social media pages on Twitter: Education News KE and Facebook: Education News Newspaper for timely updates.
>>> Click here to stay up-to-date with trending regional stories
>>> Click here to read more informed opinions on the country’s education landscape
