Shame of Sirisia school with no head teacher

Kaburwet Salvation Army Primary School in Sirisia Constituency, Bungoma County, is grappling with a deepening crisis after being abandoned without a substantive head teacher and dilapidated facilities.

The situation that has sparked outrage among parents, teachers and community members is exposing learners to deplorable learning conditions.

Stakeholders now say the unsafe classrooms, inadequate learning materials and a prolonged leadership vacuum have crippled learning at the institution.

Residents are now calling for urgent intervention from education authorities and area leaders to rescue the struggling school.

Speaking to the press at the school premises, former Board of Management chairperson Leonard Kisach said the school’s problems escalated after a new head teacher assumed office in 2024.

He pointed to an incomplete Grade 9 classroom project that was initiated last year but has since stalled, despite claims that the school received funding from the World Bank.

“One of the biggest questions we are asking is about the fate of this unfinished building near the gate. This Grade 9 classroom was fully funded by the World Bank, yet there is no contractor on site,” Kisach said.

According to Kisach, the World Bank allocated sh1 million towards the school’s facelift, but little is visible on the ground to justify the expenditure.

He further revealed that the school has recorded a sharp decline in enrolment over the past year, attributing the drop to waning parental confidence caused by poor learning conditions and declining academic standards.

“The school used to have over 500 learners, but the number has dropped to about 250. Currently, there are 42 learners in ECDE, 77 in Junior Secondary School and 133 in primary. Many parents have transferred their children to neighbouring schools," he said.

Kisach also raised sanitation concerns, noting that the school lacks functional pit latrines, posing serious health and safety risks.

“The school does not have usable pit latrines. Teachers are forced to use a neighbour’s facility because the existing ones are dilapidated,” he said.

He added that despite the community reporting the matter to the Sub-County Education Office, no action has been taken.

“Together with other education champions and village elders, we have tried reaching out to the Sub-County Education Office, but they seem reluctant to help,” Kisach noted.

He further claimed that the school has been operating without a substantive headteacher, alleging that the appointed head has never reported to the institution.

“As we speak, the school is running without a substantive head teacher. We want the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to tell us where it took the head teacher and to explain how school resources were utilised,” he said.

The school’s interim chairperson, Patrick Murgor, expressed frustration with what he termed neglect by area leaders, including MCA Tony Barasa and Sirisia MP John Waluke.

“The environment in this school is wanting and needs immediate attention,” Murgor said.

He disclosed that both male and female learners are sharing the same pit latrines, further exposing them to risks.

“Our learners are at risk. Recently, we killed five huge snakes near the pit latrine. What if a learner encounters one?” he posed, adding that the school compound is bushy and unsafe.

Murgor also condemned the stalled Grade 9 classroom project, claiming the structure has developed cracks despite being incomplete.

“I do not know who the contractor is, but this building is dangerous and should be demolished before it causes havoc,” he warned.

He further appealed to the Bungoma County Government to assist the school in accessing clean water.

The community has now called on Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba Migos to intervene and restore normalcy at the institution.

Meanwhile, Reuben Kaptunwo, a parent with five children at Kaburwet SA Primary School, blamed leadership wrangles and flawed PTA and board election processes for the school’s steady decline.

“The PTA and board elections have, for years, been skewed. The same people recycle themselves, locking out well-meaning parents and stakeholders. That is why the school has collapsed,” Kaptunwo said.

He further decried the poor academic standards at the school, terming the situation alarming.

“It is very painful that a Grade Five pupil at Kaburwet cannot even write his or her own name. This is a clear sign that our children are being failed,” he said, calling for urgent intervention to save the institution.