A section of classrooms of the Kewa primary. Photo: Joseph Amunya

FOUND in the interior part of Mabuye Sub-location Matete district in Lugari constituency, St. Marcellus primary school needs an urgent intervention to salvage it from a high rate of pupil drop out occasioned by acute lack of learning facilities.

Established 16 years ago, the school lacks adequate classrooms with mud structures dotting the 2 acre piece of land.

“Most buildings are too dilapidated with leaking roof and any time a disaster beckons”, agonizes the head teacher Mr. Muchuma Tung’a.

The school has nine classrooms with each measuring approximately 4M x 4M envisaged to hold only 12 pupils but at the moment hosts over 40.

“Some pupils are forced to sit on the floor spilling over to the veranda”, said Mr. Tung’a.  He added that as a result of widespread poverty most parents could not afford desks.

As a result, he said large numbers of pupils have chosen to skip classes and stay away from learning altogether citing poor conditions particularly during this wet season prevailing in the area.

Mr. Tung’a pointed out that efforts to gain funding from the local constituency development fund (CDF) have hit a brick wall revealing that the last such funding was received was in 2003 for purchase of land for expansion.

Pupils at the urinal pit.

Following prevailing poverty, the head teacher observed it has remained a mirage for parents from the area to start any meaningful project at the school.

The school with a population of 364 pupils has only five toilets with two utilized by 174 boys, a similar number with 190 girls while one is reserved for visitors and teachers.

“Some of these facilities are roofed with banana leaves”, said the head teacher.

With a total of nine TSC employed teachers, one PTA teacher and two ECD teachers, the school lacks a staffroom and they are forced to squeeze themselves in a small room available.

Consequently, the teacher is sending a passionate appeal to well wishers to come to the aid of the school to save it from collapse.

The poor conditions, he added had adversely affected academic performance compared to previous years. "The school even doesn't have a library," said the head teacher.