Ghosted by the State: Busia school with no teachers

Structures at the Kolanya Boys Primary School. [Mary iemnza, Standard] When Bishop Okude Aburi Secondary School opened its doors in 2022, it was seen as a ray of hope for the remote Lukolis village in Teso South. Parents whose children were forced to trek several kilometers to access a school believed they had finally found a solution. However, today, that dream remains a mirage as the government continues to neglect the institution. Bishop Okude Aburi is clinging to the mercy of volunteers and Form Four leavers with no training as teachers. The school has never received government capitation. It has no principal, no Teachers Service Commission (TSC) teacher, electricity, fence or water. Students are taught by Form Four leavers. "We're holding it together with string and prayers," says Clare Ejakait, a Kibabii University graduate who has volunteered at the school since it opened. The school, which had over 150 students during its inception, now has 84, including 30 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) candidates. According to the volunteer teachers and locals, a large number of students left the school while others dropped out largely due to the uncertainty facing the learning institution. Teaching is done by eight Form Four leavers employed by the school's Board of Management and the community. The school is managed by Christopher Emojong, a teacher at Aburi Primary School, who was formally assigned to "look after" the school as the acting principal. Interestingly, the caretaker Principal seems not to be in control of the school. For example, he does not know the exact number of students he is managing. He checks in periodically, but most of the time, he is busy in his school. While Emojong is away, the school is managed by a 25-year-old Ejakait who graduated in 2023. The acting principal said he was given the responsibility to handle the school without a formal appointment letter. "The County Director of Education told me that when a school is developing, it's handled by the closest school next to it, so since my school is near, I should supervise Bishop Okude," he told the Standard during a visit to the school. Emojong said Bishop Okude Aburi Secondary was launched with excitement, but two years later, it still doesn't appear on official TSC payroll systems because it lacks a critical requirement, an IPPD code (Integrated Payroll and Personnel Database number), which allows TSC to deploy teachers and assign a principal. Without it, the school exists in limbo-recognised by KNEC for exams, but ignored by the education system for staffing and resources. "We tried to get teachers from TSC, but we were told without IPPD, we can't help you. But generating the code is the government's job and not ours," said Emojong. "I monitor the school, but I'm not stationed there. Clare is the one doing everything, teaching, managing, even handling discipline," he said. Ejakait has volunteered for the past four years to teach, organise lessons, and keep the school afloat, without pay. "We are tired but we can't leave the students alone because they are chasing their dreams. But how long can we hold on?" said Ejakait. She says that come September, most of her untrained colleagues will leave for university, and Bishop Okude will be left with no teachers. "Come September, our students will be alone. No teachers. No one to guide them," said Ejakait. Ejakait also told The Standard that the school has a bank account, but also receives fees in cash. "At times when I do the budget and a little cash is left, we share the eight of us. We also have an active school board, which helps us when students behave badly, because some students are almost our age and they see us as jokers," she said. Besides a lack of staffing, the school's infrastructure is in a disaster. There is no electricity, piped water, a fence and administration block. Every morning, students walk three kilometres to fetch water from a stream. Shared toilets The only toilets are shared between boys and girls, while teachers are forced to use a neighbour's latrine. "A neighbour gave us one of his houses to use as a staffroom, and it's far from the classes," says Ejakait. Ejakait said the heart of the crisis lies in bureaucratic neglect by the government. "We had over 150 students at some point and the number was growing. But many lost hope. They don't see a future here," she says. Repeated attempts to get teachers posted or capitation funds released have been rejected by the Ministry and TSC on the basis that the school lacks an IPPD number. "The school has a registration certificate and is recognised by KNEC for national exams, but we are told we have to wait for the IPPD," said Emojong. Last week, the students and parents took their frustrations to the streets. They gave the Ministry of Education a three-day ultimatum to act or face more demonstrations. Busia Kuppet Branch Secretary General Moffat Okisai accused the government of giving ghost schools millions while a duly registered school is abandoned. Jared Obiero, the Western Regional Director of Education, acknowledged the situation. "We are aware of the situation and we had written to TSC to give the IPPD code, but for more details, I refer you to the TSC regional director," he said. By the time of going to the Press, TSC Western Regional Director Joseph Mugele had not responded to our text message concerning the matter.

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