School appeals for help as seven classes collapse

Emusala Primary School head teacher James Okelo and school board management in Lurambi, Kakamega County. [BENJAMIN SAKWA, STANDARD]

Learning was paralysed at Emusala Primary School in Lurambi, Kakamega County, after seven classrooms collapsed following heavy rains.

The school’s head teacher James Okello said the classes collapsed following the downpour on Sunday evening.

“We are at a loss on what to do following the incident. I am barely two weeks old in this school,” he told The Standard yesterday.

The Public Health Department had earlier condemned at least six classrooms in the school. “With the seven classes down and six more condemned, we could be forced to teach under trees if the weather allows,” said Mr Okello.

Okello said the remaining available classrooms are stretched, with each of them taking at least 100 pupils against the Ministry of Education recommendations.

“We thank God the pupils were at home when the incident occurred. We could be talking a different story if the school was in session then,” he said.

“We are asking our leaders to step in and help us. We need almost Sh5 million to put up new structures,”said Okello.

Curriculum Support Officer of Lurambi East Moses Shapaya asked the school management to liaise with the education office and the county government to assess the damage.

Elsewhere in Migori County, at least 20 families were displaced after a dam burst.

Speaking at Kebarisia village in Kuria East, area MP Marwa Kitayama said the dam had not undergone maintenance due to lack of funds.

And scores of families in Likii village have been displaced by floods after Nanyuki River burst its banks yesterday.

The houses that were 200 metres from the river were swept away and crops destroyed by heavy rains that started at 7pm, rendering some parts of Nanyuki-Meru highway impassable.

The waters overflowed a bridge near a petrol station in Nanyuki town, disrupting businesses.