In open-air classroom, they still thirst for education

Laikipia, Kenya; It is every child’s joy to attend a school where they are free to mingle, play, sing and do all that children love doing in a secure environment.

But a visit to Olorubae Nursery School in Il Motiok area in Laikipia North Sub-County reflected somehow a different ‘world’ within Kenya.

This is a nursery school where one cannot tell the difference between children in a classroom, an informal children’s meeting or a group of children playing in the wild — somewhere near a tree with a blackboard leaning on it.

The school, located approximately 130 kilometres northwest of Nanyuki in Laikipia County, is a true reflection of desperation and poverty that thrives within the area.

Located in a partly plain ground, the school is dotted with acacia trees and other semi-arid vegetation, and barely ten metres from a nearby manyatta.

Olorubae nursery is a feeder school to Il Motiok Primary School, which is located several kilometres away.

It serves children from the neighbouring homesteads who are too young to reach the main school. The children do not wear uniforms neither do they have  toys common with children from well-to-do areas. But their passion for knowledge is evident to all.

Passion for knowledge

Their tiny bags can only carry two books. The books are squeezed to create room for wild fruits- the only readily available snack in the famine-hit area. Once in a while the lucky ones will carry tea, porridge and, very rarely, milk for lunch.

Since the parents are poor and unable to put up a room, they set aside a ground within the expansive Il Motiok group ranch which was established to help tap the tourism potential within the area.

 

On the eastern side stands a worn out chair, which their teacher,  Rebecca Cheli, sits on when conducting her daily duties. By its side, and placed on the ground, is Cheli’s handbag while a school register lies on top of her bag.

 

On the southern side is an olden black wall leaned on a thorny acacia tree while some manila papers, which are learning aids for the children, hang from the tree’s thorns on the right side of the board.

 

HELP APPEAL

A few other pupils are accompanied by their younger siblings.

Ms Cheli says the young ones are not registered in the register. But she cannot send them away.

“The area is at the moment ravaged by a stinging drought which has forced some families to migrate to unknown destinations in search of pastures. Those who have not moved send their young children to school so that they can get time to go out and get some food to feed their families,” said Cheli adding that she also faces problems getting her salary, since she has to wait until the parents sell off their livestock and pay fees for her to earn.

 “I know I have doctors, pilots, teachers and all kinds of professionals in this class and my determination is to ensure I nurture them by giving them the education they need,” Cheli says.

John Ole Keshine, a village elder, says it is hectic learning in such conditions.

“We are appealing for help so we can put up a classroom with a roof for these children,” he says.