Puzzle of 2,000 absentee pupils in flood-ravaged Mai Mahiu school

Aftermath of the dam tragedy that killed over 60 people. [Antony Gitonga, Standard]

Ngeya Primary School in Mai Mahiu, Nakuru county is struggling with an abnormally high rate of absenteeism since the flood tragedy that left 62 people dead and over 30 others missing.

Five days after schools reopened following a two-week delay over heavy rains that caused flooding, over 2,000 pupils have kept away from the classrooms. The school has a population of over 3,000, and education officials report that more than half the number has not reported to classrooms.