There was a slow start to re-opening of schools in Garissa and neighbouring Tana River counties as schools affected by floods sought alternative ways to ensure learning goes on uninterrupted.
According to Abdirizack Hussein, Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Garissa County Secretary General the situation in many schools affected by floods were ‘pathetic’.
‘We have about five schools in Garissa still flooded. Some of these schools are hosting IDPs,’ Abdirizak said.
Hyuga Girls Primary School is among schools in Garissa where classrooms have been turned into shelters by the IDPs.
Other schools hosting IDP include NEP national polytechnic, Kasuku, Jaribu and Young Muslims Primary schools in Garissa.
On Saturday, North Eastern Regional Commissioner John Otieno said the government in conjunction with Kenya Red Cross would seek alternative sites for IDPs camping in the five institutions to ensure learning resumes today.
A spot check by KNA showed that not all the IDPs have moved out although learners tu
rned up for second term re-opening.
Hatata and Bakuyu Primary Schools in Tana River County have been forced to relocate their learners and teachers to the neighbouring schools.
‘We have decided as a school board to have learners coming from Garissa and those within Mororo to remain in Garissa town where a private school has offered us some classrooms,’ Omar Ramadhan, a board member said.
Bangale Deputy County Commissioner Joseph Kipkorir said affected learners have been settled at Garissa and Iftin Primary Schools for the time being.
‘The situation at Hatata Primary remains unchanged and we are having affected students accommodated in other schools, ‘Kipkorir said.
Students in Madogo area are being accommodated at Maramtu Primary School. Hatata Primary draws her population from Madogo, Adele, Mororo villages and Garissa town.
‘We have set up tents in the IDP camps to be used by learners displaced from Bakuyu Primary school,’ he added.
At Boul Argi, at least 320 learners have been relocated to an Islami
c Center where they started their second term learning.
‘The classrooms are flooded and it looks like it will take quite some time. We are using Islamic Madarasa for learning,’ the school head teacher Aden Ibrahim Bundit said adding that some teachers were yet to report as they were stuck in the flooded areas.
‘We have our teachers held up by floods on the other side of town. Only a few have reported,’ he said.
Several private schools in both Garissa and Madogo have asked parents to arrange for the boarding of their children.
‘We have two options. One includes hosting the affected learners within the schools or having parents ask their relatives on either side of floods to stay with their children in the meantime,’ Hassan Aden, a private school proprietor in Garissa town said.
On a normal day, school buses always pick students in Garissa and take them to private schools in Madogo and vice versa.
‘We have a few students who reported today because the majority of them come from Garissa but with the damage
d road, our buses cannot ferry them,’ Mr Irene Mwenda, a private school teacher in Madogo said.
The section of the Madogo-Mororo-Garissa road remains flooded for the third week with boats charging Shs 200 to ferry those travelling to either side.
Source: Kenya News Agency