During extreme weather conditions, like heavy rains, teachers face a major challenge as they struggle to teach and reach school within the stipulated time.
Outdoor lessons are greatly disrupted because over 90 per cent of schools lack the climate-adaptive infrastructure to keep classroom settings conducive to learning.
Some teachers and learners have severe allergies to cold and dust, which may cause sneezing, itchy eyes, chest congestion, coughing, wheezing, or even breathlessness. This can have devastating effects on the smooth delivery of the curriculum
Lightning strikes are normally accompanied by heavy downpours. As learning is digitised, their effect on digital devices can create an electromagnetic pulse that may send millions of volts into a building’s electrical panel wiring system and any other connected devices, instantly frying them where no ordinary surge protector can deter its effect.
Most schools lack lightning arresters, and any teacher or learner touching any electronic device does so at their own risk. This, in turn, jeopardises the teachers’ and learners’ lives.
Droughts are usually so frequent that most seasonal rivers dry up, making these places often easier routes to school. As rains set in such areas, they become flooded and impassable, and teachers and learners have to wait beside the flooding rivers until the rains subside, or else they will be swept away by the raging floods.
Most classrooms lack ceiling boards that can reduce the deafening noises of a heavy downpour, making learning impossible.
Teachers encounter myriad problems as they struggle to access their places of work. Some use matatu, motorcycles, and buses, while others simply walk. However, in all these forms of transport, the fare is normally adjusted upwardly, which is frustrating.
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Some classrooms lack windows and doors and even have leaking roofs; snakes and rodents slither stealthily into the staff rooms and even classes. They look for hideouts and occasionally fall on the floor when a lesson is in progress, which makes learners scamper for safety. Some snakes and rodents even seek refuge in teachers’ boxes, books, cupboards, and even the library. Thus, the tutors must be very cautious at this particular time, or they will get snapped.
Many classrooms exist under trees, while others are simply makeshift or temporary. Learning in these areas is completely curtailed.
National exams sometimes have to be taken under these extreme weather conditions. This process is normally overcome by hiring helicopters.
Officers also have difficulty accessing learning institutions during such difficult weather conditions. The Government should strive to make the lives of teachers and learners easier.
By Hillary Muhalya.
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