KENYA-PUPILS SHARE CLASSES WITH LIVESTOCK

04/EEN/012

By BONIFACE ONGERI

For a visitor, the wattle enclosures dotting Wajir ICF Primary School compound would pass for kraals.

Livestock here almost overshadow the importance of the institution.

But not to Abdikarim Hussein, 12, who cherishes the structures that are used as classrooms.

A peek through one of the structures reveals children in blue and white uniform sitting cross-legged on the sandy floor scribbling on books.

There are six such structures in the school. With infrastructure in some schools in North Eastern Province overstretched due to high enrollment, managements came up with the idea of the kraals to keep children in school.

Thirst for education among children has given rise to ingenious ways to provide the same.

"The school management decided it would be better to accommodate them by any means than send them away to join the ranks of children who are yet to benefit from the Free Primary Education Programme," says Wajir ICF head teacher Abdi Rashid.

The school has a population of 1,341out of which 606 are girls.

Wajir District Education Officer Goto Abdi says the kraals are helping to reduce illiteracy levels.

basic learning

"We encourage such ventures to help the Government ensure everyone gets at least basic education," he says.

Teacher shortage and lack of desks has dampened the mood though.

"Most children sit on the earth floor, under trees or no shade at all," he said.

Despite the Free Primary Education Programme, enrollment is still a problem. The United Nations Children’s Fund says 80 per cent – accounting more than 200, 000 –– school age going children are out of school.

The organisation cites lack of good infrastructure, and conducive environment for learning especially for girls, as undermining education. Such structures tend to discourage parents from sending their children to school.

"When the Government pleads with us to allow our children to go to school and they end up in such conditions most of us feel short-changed. We would rather send the children to look after livestock or work in peoples’ homes," Issa Hussein, a parent says.

The kraal for class model is heavily borrowed from Madrassa – Islamic schools for children – that dot the expansive North Eastern Province. In Madrassas children are taught religion.

"The kraals are also to ensure total concentration with learning. Before the enclosure some children would be distracted," says the head teacher said.

Thirst for education has led to improvisation of sheds as classes.

"What matters is to work hard. I have heard stories of prominent people who learned in worse situations than ours. In any case, when I get to Standard Four next year, I will be learning in a brick-walled classroom. Our teacher told us it is a passage for those who go through this school," he said.