Lack of classrooms in some schools and drought in Kilifi County has made learning for the affected learners and teachers chaotic.
Moreover, the teachers and learners in far-flung areas hit by drought are struggling to keep up with the new tasks as per the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC), even as the 49 -member working group deliberates on how to reform the education sector with the new curriculum.
Citizen digital reports of Hassan who is a teacher at Kavunzoni Primary School in Kilifi County. In Hassan’s classroom, there is a mixture of both Grade 1 and 2 learners due to lack of classrooms.
Hassan states that sometimes it is very chaotic and grabbing and holding the pupils’ attention is an uphill task.
“Watoto wengine wanabebwa na darasa lengine maanake wakati mwengine mwalimu anaimba wewe unafundisha kusoma kwa hivyo wanafunzi wako wanabebwa na hilo darasa lengine unapata huna wanafunzi wanakusikiliza,” he narrates.
Even though they have imaginary boundaries that the pupils are aware of, a one-on-one between teacher and pupil is impossible. As a result, some of the learners are left behind during lessons.
According to Hassan, at times, a teacher is not able to teach all lessons in one day because they share the chalkboard, hence, the slower ones are left behind.
Furthermore, the classroom challenge is one of many. Hassan’s school is located in Ganze, one of the areas hardest hit by drought in Kilifi County. For example, lessons in tree planting are important here, but the seedlings end up withered due to the drought.
“Upanzi wa mimea tumejaribu kupanda miti, kumwagilia maji kama yako, lakini maji yakipotea miti inakufa. Watoto wanaleta maji kidogo kidogo lakini wakati mwingine wanashindwa. Hakuna ya kunywa, hayo ya kumwagilia mimea yatatoka wapi?” Gift Kidodo, another teacher, stated.
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In addition, the school only has seven teachers, serving 316 learners.
Sadly, some of the parents have lost their livelihoods, hence forcing their children to drop of school and engage in casual labour to help in generating income through charcoal burning and operating boda bodas.
“CBC yahitaji fedha nyingi na materials za kutumika, haswa kwa somo kama Home Science. Mzazi akipata pesa kidogo anafikiria tumbo la mtoto, unga na maji, kwa hivyo materials zinakosekana za CBC,” added Kidodo.
Nonetheless, teachers and learners in drought-stricken areas can only hope recommendations that will be made by the 42-member working group will bear in mind their harsh reality.
