A plate of food served at school for thousands of children in West Pokot County is doing far more than easing hunger — it is keeping dreams alive, restoring hope to struggling families, and ensuring learners remain in classrooms despite the harsh realities of drought and poverty.
County Director of Education Yophes Onduso Magara said the initiative has transformed schools across the county by reducing dropout cases, addressing malnutrition, and helping children remain focused in class.
Speaking after the distribution of food supplies to schools in West Pokot, Magara described the programme as a critical pillar in sustaining free primary and basic education in the county.
“The school feeding programme is more than just meals on a plate. It is helping us address school dropout rates, poor academic performance, and increasing cases of malnutrition among learners,” said Magara.
He noted that while the government’s free education policy opened school doors to millions of children across Kenya, hunger and poverty continue to hinder access to education in arid and semi-arid regions.
“In many parts of West Pokot, the presence or absence of a meal in school determines whether a child attends class or stays at home,” he said.
For years, the county has grappled with recurrent droughts that have devastated household food supplies and pushed many families deeper into poverty. As a result, some children abandon school to herd livestock, work on farms, assist with household chores, or search for food for their families.
Others who persevere and attend classes often do so on empty stomachs, making it difficult for them to concentrate, participate actively in lessons, or perform well academically.
However, Magara said the school feeding programme has significantly changed the situation, with schools now reporting increased enrolment and improved attendance, particularly in Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) centres and lower primary classes.
“Parents are now more willing to send their children to school because they are assured their children will receive at least one meal a day,” he said.
According to the education director, the programme has greatly reduced absenteeism and dropout cases among vulnerable learners while enabling teachers to plan lessons more effectively due to consistent attendance.
Magara commended the Government for continued support through school meals, capitation funds, and infrastructural development programmes aimed at strengthening education standards in the county.
“The food we receive in schools is extremely important because it helps us retain learners in class. Most parts of this county are dry, and children need meals during the day so that learning can continue uninterrupted,” he said.
He added that besides improving school attendance, the meals provide vital nutritional support that keeps learners healthy, energetic, and alert in class.
Magara further appealed to development partners, well-wishers, and donors to support the programme to ensure sustainability and food sufficiency in schools.
At the same time, the education director raised concerns over increasing cases of child labour in gold mining areas following a recent mine collapse in the county.
He urged parents, community leaders, and administrators to ensure children remain in school instead of engaging in dangerous mining activities.
“The rightful place for children is in school, not in the mines,” he stressed.
Also speaking after the exercise, Wekesa Kuywa, Head Teacher of Chewoyet Comprehensive School and Kenya Primary Schools Heads Association (KEPSHA) Chairman for Siyoi Zone, said the school feeding programme has had a direct and positive impact on enrolment and attendance across schools in West Pokot.
“Whenever learners hear that food is available in school, classrooms immediately fill to capacity,” Kuywa said.
He explained that even schools located near urban centres and municipalities continue to face severe poverty, especially in informal settlements within Siyoi and Kapenguria wards.
According to him, whenever food stocks are depleted, school attendance automatically drops as children leave school to work on farms or seek casual jobs to help provide food for their families.
“Now that the government has brought food to schools, attendance has risen close to 100 percent because learners no longer have to leave school in search of food,” he said.
Kuywa disclosed that schools have benefited from the latest food distribution exercise, with supplies allocated according to enrolment figures.
He praised the government for ensuring a smooth distribution process and for prioritising education in hardship areas.
“We appreciate the government for supporting learners in this region because the programme has given school managers an easier time and ensured children remain in school throughout the day,” he said.
In a region where recurring dry spells and food shortages have pushed many households to the brink, education officials say the government’s school feeding programme has become one of the most effective interventions in improving school enrolment, attendance, and academic performance among vulnerable learners.
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Education stakeholders in the county now hope that continued support for the school feeding programme will not only improve learning outcomes but also shield vulnerable children from hunger, exploitation, and child labour while securing a better future for communities affected by poverty and climate-related hardships.
By Kimutai Langat
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