Bungoma village excited over refurbished school infrastructure

Education has been regarded as a social equalizer since the advent of the modern era of formal schooling, but for over 600 pupils of Naitiri Primary School in Tongaren, Bungoma County, this had remained an echo only exercised through speech.

The lack of a conducive environment that fits a schooling environment had relegated learners to a level below what is expected for all educational institutions. 

For many years, when one arrived at the school, they would come face to face with sights of dilapidated infrastructure, mud-walled classrooms whose very posture was a clear threat of collapsing, broken desks and the absence of an administration block that increased the frustration of teachers. 

A single and temporary ablution block served as the only place for a health break for both pupils and teachers, with its condition posing a major health risk to all. 

"We didn't have any classroom when I came here. We constructed a few temporary structures which served as a church when the learners were not in school," said Margaret Nakhungu, the head teacher. 

According to area chief Mathew Opicho, the establishment of the school on the parcel of land was a replacement of a once dingy and filthy chang'aa den where many lives, young and old, were wasted. He says the place had turned into a hub for criminals. 

"Previously, there were shanties of the worst form. Making of illicit brew was the order of the day and the main activity until the community said they had had enough and broke down the structures flattening them," said Opicho. 

A village elder, Changalwa Makhanu, said in the beginning, when they started building the school, they rounded up all children from the area and sensitized the community on the need for education. 

"The children used to spend their time on the streets and a nearby market. The community was cooperative and agreed to have their children get education here," said Makhanu. 

For years, the children had to contend with the limited and dilapidated resources available. 

This, however, changed for the better in February last year (2024) when the Mpesa Foundation handed over eight modern classrooms and an ECDE center, all of them fully furnished. 

The Foundation also constructed new and safe ablution blocks for learners separate from those of the staff, a well-furnished administration block, a water harvesting system, eight water storage tanks, a kitchen, a gate and a perimeter wall to ensure safety for the learners. 

"Previously, it was difficult to administer this school because teachers had nowhere to operate from. Today, they have a feel of what other teachers in other schools have. For the learners, absenteeism has greatly reduced," said Mrs Nakhungu. 

Emily Ngome, a senior teacher, noted that the water tanks have greatly enhanced the sanitation status of the school. 

"These improvements led to an increase in the school enrollment. Previously, parents shied away from enrolling their children here due to the aesthetic state of the school, but not anymore," said Ngome. 

Violet Cheloti, a teacher at the ECDE center, said that the construction of a kitchen has allowed them to prepare a meal for the learners. 

"With something to eat, the learners can stay in school for longer hours than before when they had to go home early for lunch. This also enhanced their nutrition," said Cheloti. 

Sarah Waridi, one of the pupils at the school, described the new face of the school as a complete change from its former self. 

"We felt that our parents didn't see the need to take us to a nice school. This affected our performance. Today, we feel proud of our school and work even harder to make our parents more proud," said Waridi. 

She added that with better sanitation, incidences of missing school due to related illnesses have reduced among her peers. 

"We have moved from the old and broken desks to new lockers and chairs. This has bolstered our comfort and directly impacts on our performance," said Waridi. 

Today, over 600 pupils at Naitiri Primary School have benefited from the Mpesa Foundation-funded transformation of the school, which was done for Sh25 million. 

At 18 years, the Mpesa Foundation has become a cornerstone of education access and progress in Kenya, bridging the gap between financial inclusion and learning opportunities. 

This has ensured that many children who would have otherwise be relegated to the edge of the society have a fair shot at success. 

"When the Foundation started, our flagship project was the Mpesa Foundation Academy where we took in two children from every county and refugee camps and brought them in. Apart from the education, we trained them to be leaders, thinkers and doers and it has been a great success. The first cohort of children has already started working," said the Foundation Director Karen Basiye. 

Basiye added that after completing the academy, the Foundation realized they had the potential to do more for the society. 

"That is why we started a program to improve the learning environment in schools. So far, we have done nearly 60 schools spread across 34 counties while integrating ICT into the schools," added Basiye. 

The little known Naitiri Primary School is one of the facilities where the learners and the institution has no other option but to soar to greater heights.