With no school feeding programme for three consecutive terms, at least 34 per cent of students across Laisamis sub-county, Marsabit County, have dropped out.
Laisamis Deputy County Commissioner Langat Bitok revealed that because of a biting drought and famine, 6,018 learners in the area were no longer attending classes.
“[We] appeal to all parents and partners to help them return to school,” Mr Bitok said.
Speaking when he oversaw the dispatching of relief food donated by the Lake Turkana Wind Power company (LTWP) at Laisamis Primary School, he urged parents who withdrew their children from school to return them.
Laisamis education director Alio Kerrow attributed the massive dropouts to the lack of school feeding programmes, usually undertaken by the national government, for the last three terms.
He revealed that over 1,000 students returned to school earlier this year when (LTWP rolled out a two-month feeding programme across Laisamis.
Marsabit County Commissioner Paul Rotich and Lake Turkana Wind Power Company site Manager Felix Rotteman flag off relief food distribution at Laisamis Primary School on November 3, 2022.
Marsabit County Commissioner Paul Rotich appealed to students who had dropped out to return, saying there is now enough food for them.
Laisamis TSC director Cecilia Wangeci said teachers had to grapple with offering lessons to hungry learners who were unable to concentrate in class.
Local politicians at the event demanded to know how the national government spent Sh1.2 billion set aside for school feeding programmes in the last fiscal year, saying its impact was not felt in Marsabit County.
Korr MCA Daudi Tomasot wondered how the money was spent.
LTWP site manager Felix Rotteman assured residents that the company would support the school feeding programme for two terms and beyond if possible.
The company began a two-month emergency food relief programme to benefit 17,700 primary school pupils at 67 primary schools across Laisamis constituency by providing a meal per day for the remainder of the school year and the beginning of 2023.
LTWP has ramped up its drought assistance programme that started in January 2022, when 13,000 primary school pupils were provided with one meal a day for two months.
Laisamis Primary School pupils during a relief food flag-off by Lake Turkana Wind Power Company on November 3, 2022.A
Job Lengoyiap, the company’s community liaison officer, said the gesture was in response to appeals from local leaders and residents.
The relief aid included 2.8 tonnes of maize meal, 139,000kg of beans, 3,420 litres (186 jerricans) of vegetable oil and 1,480 dozens of salt worth Sh13 million.
“We have prioritised schoolchildren due to the crucial role education plays in a person’s life and that’s why we heeded the rallying calls by members of the public who wanted us to extend a helping hand to schools in this region,” Mr Lengoyiap said.
The arid and semi-arid lands (ASAL) of Kenya, which include Laisamis, have endured three severe droughts in the last decade (2010-2011, 2016-2017, and 2020-2022), said the ASAL Humanitarian Network in a joint statement.
The current drought is the most severe and longest, with widespread livelihood losses and massive displacement of populations.
The drought has led to food shortages in schools. Because of this and the migration of families in search of water, more children are dropping out of school. BY DAILY NATION