20110225
africanews

Learned friends believe that education is the key to success. Indeed, many people have made their 'dreams come true' through success and hard work in education. However, this precious fruit of knowledge will never be achieved in learning atmosphere where pupils quench their thirst for education under big trees.

Learning under big trees was the case to many forgotten schools in rural areas before the government stretched reforms in education sector by introducing the Free Primary Education (FPE) in 2003 in an effort to make education a priority for all Kenyans.

But like them or hate them, St. Alex Esidende Primary School in Busia county, are still in their old days. Children take classes behind walls and under trees in an attempt to compete with the syllabus and other schools in the Western region .

Situated along Mumias-Nambale road, the school is located strategically from the main road. However, the faded ‘St Alex Esidende primary school’ writings at the gate could demonstrate the worst experienced by both teachers and pupils.

The second surprise expected is a full class of pupils taking notes under a big tree as a teacher continues to give lectures. Without minding the dangers of being scared or bitten by green mamba snakes, and other dangers that include the hot sunlight or heavy downpour that frequently force pupils to temporarily halt learning, the schools are struggling to be part of Vision 2030.

Mrs. Rene Ouma who heads the learning centre, narrates the origin of their plight. “The school roofs were blown off by strong wind last year in November before we closed, since then, we’ve had no alternative but to contain our pupils as the number of enrolment swelled.”

Studying under tree in Kenya Photo_Benjamin Ochieng

Campaign object

The softly spoken madam, raised more interest when she said that the school was the hot spot campaign joint for the area MP, Chrisantus Okemo, who frequent to the facility to address poor villagers, then parades them into two according to gender, then, removes 3,000 [US$37] for men and 3,000 shillings [US$37] for the women to divide and speeds off not contributing even a cent for the reconstruction of school. The frustrated headmistress wonders how the honorable MP could pass by at the school gates on the main road to his home in the nearby Mungatsi and back to Nairobi leaving them in the pathetic state.

The level of poverty in the region is a time bomb that exploded many years after the collapse of the Busia sugar company. There is no income generating activity in that area apart from cane-farming and noted that the only last resource was the area MP who chairs the parliamentary finance committee.

“We have teachers paid by the PTA and parents cannot contribute even Ksh 50 [US$0.60] to boost their working morals forcing me to dig into my own pockets so as to retain them. They take home a peanut of cash 2,000 [US$25] per month,” she explained. At this point I paused for a breath as I wondered what the money could do as the country experienced inflation.

However, she was categorical on how she has spent her little grants from CDF Kitty and the government. “I first got Ksh 48,400 [US$590] in 2005 from CDF and used the cash to rehabilitate standard 4. The breakdown entailed purchasing materials, flooring and labour. I again got Kshs 75,400 [US$919] in 2006 and used the cash to modernize standard five. And during this time, the school became prone to lightening, forcing me to appeal to the Ministry. I got Kshs 200,000 [US$2,438] from the Kenya education support program - KESSP which I used to purchase and install lightening arresters after four bulls and a cow had been struck dead.”