West Pokot leaders have raised concern over the manner in which the Ministry of Health has put in place measures to curb the spread of Covid-19 in schools.
Sigor MP Peter Lochakapong and his Kacheliba counterpart Mark Lomunokol said that it’s disappointing for schools to reopen yet the government hasn’t put the required infrastructure in place to allow social distancing.
Speaking in his constituency, Lochakapong said some schools along the West Pokot and Elgeyo Marakwet border were affected by floods early last year and haven’t been rehabilitated, “There are no plans to build classes and learners have been studying under trees,” he said.
Lomunokol challenged all stakeholders including political leaders to come together and ensure no child drops out of school due to teen pregnancies or negligence by parents, “Teachers shouldn’t prevent children from attending classes and girls should be allowed to learn even if they are pregnant,” he added.
He further challenged the Water and Education Ministries to set up measures that will ensure schools have access to water, including drilling boreholes, to enable the culture of handwashing.
He said so far the region has started experiencing a drought season, and they have to depend on boreholes and available dams.
He asserted that Covid-19 cases may rise as travelers traverse across the country and students report back to schools, saying all stakeholders should be ready for a surge in cases.