Swollen Lake Baringo Forces Learners to Study under Trees
A swollen Lake Baringo has forced more than 5,000 learners to sail to school using boats that were constructed locally.
Lake Baringo overflowed flooding 18 primary schools and displacing more than 40,000 people.
Residents are now susceptible to crocodile attacks and hippos due to the current situation.
According to a monthly publication from the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), most school-aged children are in danger due to continuing environmental changes.
This has forced most of the students to attend schools that are within their neighbourhoods.
The journal emphasized the struggle of teachers to deal with an inflow of students and the danger of crossing the body of water using boats.
The Principal of Loruk Primary School revealed that most students come from the areas of Chelelyo, Kiplelchony and Barchar Islands.
However, parents are hesitant to allow their children to take boats to schools in the impacted areas.
They said that young students are susceptible to being overrun by animals or powerful waves.
It was also revealed that earlier in July, an average of 32 students out of 318 were present in class.
Students have also been seen to be taking longer ways to their respective schools.
“Classrooms are starting to break due to the effects of flood water, putting lives of learners at great risk,” said one local resident, Haron Loruk.
Teachers were also not left out and had been displaced and lived in terror of hippo attacks.
Sabalani Secondary School Principal Joshua Chemjor revealed that his school is currently immersed in water.
“Last year, the lake was five kilometres away from the school,” said Chemjor.
Katuwit, Loruk, Sabalani Secondary, N’gambo Girls, Lake Baringo Mixed Secondary school, Sintaan Leswa, Lorok and Loropil are among the schools affected.
In addition, elementary schools such as Noosukro, Kiserian, Ilng’ana, Ng’enyin, Sokoti and Salabani were not spared by the Lake’s invasion.
“We are now used to this. This is where I receive my visitors. I have been operating under this tree for close to two years now following the swelling of Lake Baringo and the subsequent submerging of our school. This is an office,” said Parkolo Shariff, head teacher at Ng’ambo Primary School.
The situation is dire and needs serious addressing. There is also a threat of waterborne diseases in the area, as it is usually the case in areas affected by flooding.
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