School risks closure due to lack of toilets for pupils

With more than 100 pupils and teachers, the Sh3.4 million ECD at Kanyibok, West Yimbo location has no toilet. Teachers and pupils walk more than 200 metres to use the toilets in the primary school section. (Photo: Isaiah Gwengi, Standard).

A recently opened Early Childhood and Development centre in West Yimbo ward in Bondo sub-county risks being closed for lack of toilets.

The more than 100 pupils at the centre are affected.

According to the Kanyibok Primary School headteacher, Isaiah Mawira, the unhygienic situation at the centre was a time bomb and could lead to a disease outbreak.

The teachers use the toilet at the primary school but instruct the pupils to relieve themselves in the field.

“These are children and its challenging for them to walk for about 200 metres (to the primary school toilet) to relieve themselves,” said Mawira.

However, The Standard learnt that the county government had released only Sh2.9 million of the Sh3.4 million that had been budgeted for the construction of the ECD block.

County government

The chairman of the centre’s board of management, Paul Osweta, said parents had been asked to contribute ‘some little money’ to construct toilets.

“Many parents are poor and can barely afford a decent meal, let alone make a contribution for the construction of a latrine,” said Mr Osweta.

West Yimbo ward administrator Vincent Mito said his office was aware of the challenges facing the school.

“It’s true the facility has been opened and the toilet was part of what was in the budget. The only problem is that the allocation was not enough, so the contractor decided to do the ECD block first, said Mito, adding that money would set aside for the toilet in the supplementary budget.