Parents decry poor state of classrooms as Shinyalu school

A section of old mud classrooms at Shiimba primary school in Shinyalu constituency/IMAGE /HILTON OTENYO 

Parents have decried the poor state of infrastructure at Shiimba primary school in Shinyalu constituency, with students learning in old mud classrooms.

The parents said that learners are at risk of jigger infestation due to the dusty floors.

They want the county government and the Shinyalu NG-CDF to intervene. 

Grade 1 to Grade 3 learners are the most affected as they are the ones using the old classrooms.

School Parents and Teachers Association chairman Hesbon Shamalla said the situation compromises the safety of the learners.

A church that sponsors the school has donated its building to host some pupils. The school was started in 2013.

“Although our MP Fred Ikana has promised to buy the school land, our first priority for now is classrooms and then land can come later,” Shamalla said.

Mildred Khakai, the vice chair of the school's board of management, said both PP1 and PP2 learners use one classroom, making it difficult for teachers.

NG-CDF chairman Thomas Aseka said that the school has no space for the construction of new classrooms.

He said that the community around the school was reluctant to sell land to the school for purposes of improvement and expansion.

“We have set aside Sh2.5 million this financial year for the purchase of land for the school, but the community is not willing to release land for the expansion of the school. We don’t want to build classes that will spill onto the road reserve and be pulled down later,” Aseka said.

He said the committee planned to put up eight classrooms and an administration block, but the lack of land stalled the plan.