Background
Following devastating floods at the beginning of this year, the Ministry of Education is collaborating with Members of Parliament to repair the infrastructure in schools affected by the floods. The floods, which started in mid-March this year, have wrecked most schools and displaced many students.
Government Actions and Allocations
Already, MPs are receiving funding from the National Government-Community Development Fund (NG-CDF) in fixing the schools damaged by the floods. Each of the constituencies was given at least Sh18 million last week to undertake the fixing exercise. According to the ministry, it was part of the funding as supplementary budget already presented for concurrence in Parliament with another deal to boost the drive.
Assessment and Immediate Needs
The Ministry of Education has already distinctly delineated the specific schools that may require instant rehabilitation. According to Machogu, at least 62 primary schools were extensively destroyed by the floods, displacing over 15,000 children, most of whom lack proper facilities to resume learning. The assessment, which was carried out by the Ministry of Education in conjunction with Save the Children, established that there must be an immediate process of reconstruction that could pave the way for the remainder of the renovation work in good time to ensure the affected pupils can access classrooms to continue with their education in a safe environment.
Health Risks and Postponed Reopening
The floods that shattered schools and displaced thousands have resulted in other significant impacts such as health risks. For instance, more than 20,000 toilet blocks have been sunk or damaged beyond use, which means that over 1.5 million school children remain at high risk of contracting waterborne diseases that are expected with breeding water. This has forced school reopening to be postponed to ensure the children remain safe under all circumstances.