Kaburwet SA Primary School in Sirisia Constituency, Bungoma County has been plunged into crisis with pupils learning under deplorable conditions after the institution was abandoned without a substantive headteacher and left with dilapidated infrastructure.
The situation has sparked outrage among parents, teachers and the community who say classrooms are unsafe, learning materials are inadequate and leadership vacuum has crippled smooth learning, prompting urgent calls for intervention from area leaders to salvage the struggling school.
Speaking to the press at the school premises, Leonard Kisach, a former Kaburwet SA primary school board chairperson narrated that the challenges facing the institution started when a new headteacher took over the mantle in 2024.
He cited a Grade 9 incomplete classroom that was started a year ago, alleging that the school received funds from World Bank to facilitate the Construction but the building was abandoned.
“Some of the questions we are asking are about the fate of this unfinished building near the gate, this Grade 9 class got full funding from the World Bank yet there is no contractor on site,” Kisach stated.
He said that the World Bank allocated Ksh1 million to help in the school facelift.
He further revealed that the school has suffered a sharp decline in enrolment over the past year, a trend he attributed to waning confidence among parents.
The school previously had a population of more than 500 learners but the number has now dropped to about 250. The current enrolment stands at 42 learners in ECDE, 77 in Junior Secondary School (JSS) and 133 in primary, a drastic reduction that he said reflects the poor learning environment and declining academic standards forcing many parents to transfer their children to neighbouring schools.
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Kisach observed that the school toilets are in bad shape and condition posing danger to both learners and teachers.
“The school doesn’t have pit latrines, teachers are forced to use the neighbour’s one because the ones that are there are dilapidated,” he said.
Kisach reported that the community intervened, presented the matter to the Sub County Education offices but no action has been taken to salvage the sinking school.
“Together with other community Education champions and area village elders we have tried reaching out to the sub county Education office to come to our aid but they seem reluctant,” he noted.
He stated that up to date the head teacher has not reported to school.
“As we speak today the school is running without a substantive headteacher, we want the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to tell us where it took the other headteacher,” he said, adding that the school head should come and explain how the institution resources were utilized.
Patrick Murgor, the school Interim Chairperson, says that he is very unhappy with how area MCA Tony Barasa and MP John Waluke have neglected the school stating that the environment in the school is wanting calling for immediate attention.
Murgor reveals that both female and male learners are using the same pit latrines.
“Our learners are at risk, recently we killed five huge snakes around the pit latrine, what if these snakes get a learner there,” he said, adding that the school is bushy.
Murgor further condemned the Grade 9 classroom project saying that it is cracked yet it has not been finished.
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“I don’t know who the constructor of this project is, this one is dangerous and should be removed from school as it can cause havoc,” he noted.
Murgor also rallied the County government of Bungoma to help the school get clean water.
The community has called on the Cabinet Secretary (CS) Julius Ogamba to intervene and help the school return to its normalcy.
Reuben Kaptunwo, a parent with five learners at the School, faulted the PTA and school board election process saying it has for years been skewed a situation he blames for the steady collapse of the institution.
He argued that leadership wrangles and lack of transparency in electing school managers have locked out well-meaning parents and stakeholders leaving the school without effective oversight or direction.
Kaptunwo further decried the poor academic standards at the school, terming the situation alarming and unacceptable.
He claimed that learning outcomes at Kaburwet had deteriorated to worrying levels, citing cases where learners are unable to grasp basic literacy skills despite being in upper grades.
“The way PTA and board elections are conducted is always unfair and biased. The same people recycle themselves and that is why the school has collapsed,” said Kaptunwo.
He added, “It is very painful that a Grade Five pupil at Kaburwet cannot even write his or her own name. This is a clear sign that our children are being failed and urgent intervention is needed to save this school.
By Godfrey Wamalwa
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