OPINION: Drought and the slow collapse of learning in Northern Kenya

Abdullahı Maalim, a governance and policy expert with 25+ years of experience in public administration, devolution, and institutional reform./HANDOUT

In northern Kenya, drought has always been a part of life. Communities have adapted to harsh seasons, moving with livestock and adjusting to unpredictable rains.

What has changed in recent years is the frequency and intensity of drought, along with the quiet but steady damage to education.

Across the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands, drought is no longer just a humanitarian concern; it is becoming an education crisis whose consequences will be felt long after the rains return.

Repeated failed rainy seasons have weakened already fragile livelihoods in counties such as Turkana, Marsabit, Wajir, Mandera, and Garissa. Livestock losses, reduced household income, and growing food insecurity have forced families into difficult choices.

Schooling, despite its recognised value, often becomes secondary to survival. When pasture and water disappear, families migrate. Children move with them, and learning is interrupted for weeks or months. Many do not return to school at all.

Grade one pupils of Gathuthey Primary and Junior School in Hagadera, Fafi sub county, Garissa in class./STEPHEN ASTARIKO 

For girls, the risks are even greater, with increased exposure to early marriage or long-term dropout when families face prolonged economic stress. What begins as temporary absence gradually turns into permanent exclusion from education.

Hunger deepens the problem. In many northern counties, schools provide the most reliable meal a child receives each day. When drought tightens food supply, children either attend school hungry or stop attending altogether.

Malnutrition weakens concentration, slows cognitive development, and reduces learning outcomes even for those who remain in class. Teachers increasingly report learners who are physically present but unable to engage effectively due to hunger and fatigue.

The learning environment itself is under strain. Water scarcity directly affects school operations. Many institutions rely on seasonal rainwater harvesting or distant water sources that become unreliable during prolonged dry spells.

Without water, sanitation deteriorates, hygiene standards fall, and schools struggle to operate normally. Girls are disproportionately affected, as inadequate sanitation facilities contribute to absenteeism and eventual withdrawal from school.

These disruptions occur during a time when Kenya is undertaking major education reforms and pushing for improved learning outcomes nationally. Yet for drought-affected counties, maintaining consistent attendance remains a challenge.

The gap between learners in northern Kenya and those in more stable regions continues to widen, not due to a lack of effort or commitment, but because environmental shocks repeatedly undermine progress. Each drought resets gains that schools and communities work hard to achieve during better seasons.

The longer-term cost is significant. Education is central to building resilience in pastoralist communities, offering alternatives to livelihoods increasingly threatened by climate change. When learning is interrupted year after year, young people lose the opportunity to acquire the skills needed to adapt to changing economic realities. The result is a cycle where vulnerability to climate shocks and limited educational attainment reinforce one another.

Addressing drought as an education issue requires moving beyond emergency response. School feeding programs need consistent support, not just during declared emergencies but as a sustained intervention. Investments in reliable water infrastructure for schools are essential to keep institutions operational during dry periods.

Flexible learning approaches that recognize pastoral mobility can help ensure continuity of education even when families move. Most importantly, education planning in ASAL regions must be anchored in climate realities rather than assuming stability that no longer exists.

The drought affecting northern Kenya is often measured in lost livestock or distributed relief food. Less visible is the loss occurring in classrooms, where interrupted learning slowly erodes opportunity. If this trend continues, the region risks producing a generation whose education has been shaped more by climate shocks than by policy intention.

Protecting education in drought-prone areas is no longer a sectoral concern; it is central to safeguarding the future of northern Kenya itself.

The writer is a governance and policy expert with 25+ years of experience in public administration, devolution, and institutional reform. He has held senior roles including Education & Governance Sector Lead at the Frontier Counties Development Council, Wajır County Secretary, and Chief Officer in Health, Roads, Devolution, and Education.