By Jane Wangechi
In Basuba villages children prefer fishing to attending school. Theirs is not a choice, but a bitter option. There is no learning taking place in the village after schools were closed down due to insecurity.
In one school that has been in operation since 2016, the entire teaching staff refused to report for fear of being attacked.
The only early childhood teacher left, Deko Barisa was elected the Member of County Assembly for Basuba Ward.
This completely paralyzed learning at the school.
In the school compound, classrooms are empty except a few loosely hanging learning materials.
One of the classroom acts as police armoury and office.
Lack of teachers has forced school going children to engage in fishing in company of their parents.
“Instead of children being in school, they have taken roles of parents. The security issue needs to be addressed or the children will never resume learning”, said Deko.
County Director of Education William Micheni said the Government issued a circular that all closed schools be opened as more security agents had been sent to most affected areas.
He noted that learning in Basuba Ward is always interrupted during second term and part of third term, adding that they are looking for a long lasting measure that will keep all pupils in school from nursery to class eight in the villages.
