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Stakeholders have linked unsafe water to absenteeism in Trans Nzoia ECDE schools, warning that waterborne diseases are rampant and disrupting learning.
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Led by County Secretary Truphosa Amere, they said many young learners have been forced to miss classes due to illnesses linked to contaminated drinking water, underscoring the urgent need for intervention.
Unsafe drinking water has emerged as a key factor contributing to absenteeism among Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) learners in Trans Nzoia County, with county officials warning that waterborne diseases are disrupting learning in several schools.
The concern was raised during a consultative meeting between the Trans Nzoia County Government and Lifestraw, a water purification solutions provider, held at the County Headquarters on Friday.
County Secretary Truphosa Amere said many young learners have been forced to miss classes due to illnesses linked to contaminated drinking water, underscoring the urgent need for intervention.
Amere said the county government is exploring a partnership with Lifestraw to install water purification facilities in ECDE centres across the county to guarantee learners access to clean and safe drinking water.
“We want our children to drink clean and safe water. This will improve their health, well-being, and learning environment,” she said.
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County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Education and Vocational Training Janerose Nasimiyu Mutama noted that access to safe water remains a major challenge, particularly in remote areas where many schools lack reliable tap water connections.
She said the proposed partnership would help address the long-standing challenge and improve the welfare of learners in rural schools.
“This partnership will go a long way in ensuring our children get safe drinking water while in school. It has been a big challenge, especially for ECDE centres in rural areas,” Mutama said.
The meeting was attended by Roads and Public Works CEC Gideon Barongo, Gender, Sports, Culture and Tourism CEC Eliud Tormoi, and Water, Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change CEC Robert Wamalwa.
The county officials emphasized the need for a coordinated approach to improve access to clean water in learning institutions, noting that healthy learners are more likely to attend school regularly and perform better academically.
“Clean water means healthy learners, and healthy learners mean a brighter future. We must work together to achieve this,” said Wamalwa.
Once implemented, the initiative is expected to reduce absenteeism, curb waterborne diseases, and enhance learning outcomes among ECDE pupils across Trans Nzoia County.
By Godfrey Wamalwa
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