More than 200 pupils from Sukuk primary school in Pokot South Sub County have been forced to learn out of class after their five classroom roofs were blown off by strong winds.
When journalists visited the school, pupils were learning under a tree, and were using bricks and stones as chairs.
The pupils were not fully concentrating due to the strong blowing wind and the scorching sun.
According to the school head teacher Mr Raymond Kishaunet, some pupils were in class when the strong winds destroyed the roof.
“The books and blackboards were also destroyed, luckily no pupil was hurt because they ran for safety,” said Kishaunet.
He added that learning has been like that for two weeks and he urged the government to intervene and construct new permanent classrooms for the pupils. He added that the school has only four teachers and this has affected the performance of the children, citing that in last year’s KCPE exams, the school recorded a mean score of 289.
West Pokot leaders who also visited the school said the county had been marginalized for long and that’s why the infrastructure of many schools was poor.
Former Cabinet minister Samuel Poghisio blamed the national government for failing to improve infrastructure in schools as many pupils can’t study in a classroom since they aren’t constructed in the first place.
Senator John Lonyangapuo added that the pastoral communities are faced with a lot of challenges due to marginalization, and he advised them to elect leaders who are aware of their problems.
Lonyangapuo said the classrooms were destroyed by the stormy winds as a result of drought and urged the well-wishers to assist in building the school.