As the world marks the World Toilet Day, a school at Marinda area, Kapomboi ward, Kwanza in Trans Nzoia County is facing closure due to having few and dilapidated toilets to cater for more than 500 students in the school. St Lwanga Cyprus Primary School is under the spotlight after the County department of health services issued a two-week notice for its closure. Confirming closure notice, the school’s headteacher Tuwei Barbara appealed to the local leadership led by area MP Ferdinand Wanyonyi to join hands and construct toilets in the school.
The headteacher claimed that if the school is closed as per the notice then more than 80 KCPE candidates will be affected. He has urged the health department to consider suspending the notice and give the school management and parents ample time to plan and construct the toilets, adding that the short notice doesn’t grant them enough time.
Some of the pupils’ parents explained the poor condition of infrastructure in the school ranging from inadequate toilets, few and poorly constructed classrooms, lack of water among others and urged leaders to intervene, “We urge leaders to join hands and address the plight facing students in the school,” said George Wanjala, one of the parents. They said they fear their kids might be affected by illnesses and jigger infestations owing to the poorly made structures.
The plights of teachers and parents caught the attention of some politicians who arrived at the school and promised to construct the toilets, blaming area leaders in the process for being negligent.