Learning has been severely disrupted in parts of Baringo Sub-county following the combined impact of rising Lake Baringo water levels and increased insecurity linked to banditry, leaving several schools overcrowded and without basic learning resources.
The affected institutions include Sabor Secondary School, Kimorok Primary School, Arabal Kasiela Primary School, and Noosurko Primary School. Learners in these schools have been left traumatized, with shortages of essential learning materials and inadequate infrastructure worsening their situation.
In Kimalel, Kimorok, Koriema, and Sabor villages, about 230 displaced learners are currently sharing limited resources in temporary iron-sheet structures used as makeshift dormitories. The facilities lack sufficient desks, textbooks, and other basic educational materials.
According to Sarah Taiwan, the chairperson of the school board, learners are being forced to share scarce resources despite their strong academic potential.
“Our learners are living in very difficult academic conditions and are even forced to fetch untreated water from distant sources,” said Taiwan.
She appealed to the government to urgently establish permanent learning facilities, including classrooms, dormitories, and a borehole to support learners in the area.
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Local resident Justin Chebei also called on the Ministry of Education to prioritize school infrastructure development, noting that schools in the region serve as both learning institutions and safe havens for children affected by insecurity.
“We request the Ministry of Education and the government to establish a school in our locality to protect our children from banditry attacks,” he said.
Security challenges have further worsened the situation, with reports indicating that solar panels were stolen from Arabal Primary School, leaving classrooms without critical infrastructure and disrupting learning activities.
In Noosurko Primary School, more than 90 learners have reportedly been studying under trees since September last year after their school was submerged by Lake Baringo, which rose approximately 300 metres inland, according to a report by parent Jones Lekatai.
School chairperson Philemon Lemira has urged the government to relocate affected institutions to higher ground less prone to flooding, saying repeated displacement has destabilized learning.
A nearby health facility has temporarily offered shelter to learners during harsh weather conditions, including strong winds and heavy rainfall associated with the lake’s expansion.
Residents are now calling for urgent reconstruction and expansion of affected schools to restore normal learning and prevent further academic disruption caused by environmental and security challenges.
By Ochola Victor
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