400 learners back home over poor hygiene

More than 400 pupils at Ogada primary school in South Kabuoch in

Ndhiwa constituency returned home following poor hygiene condition of

the school.

The learners were sent home and studies suspended after a directive

from public health officers over possible spread of cholera disease.

The officers directed the school management to suspend learning after

realizing that it lacked adequate pit latrines.

Pupils and teachers who had reported back to school for term one after

December holydays were told to go back home until the matter is fixed.

Officials from public health declared the school as unsafe.

South Kabuoch ward public health officer Tobias Okong’o served the

school administration with a notice about the closure.

The latter indicated that the available latrines are in are filled up

and there was high likelihood of people contracting cholera.

Okong’o added that there was improper disposal of fecal matter which

he described as being on the slab which produced bad odour.

“The available infrastructures are in deplorable condition. The

decision has been taken as a precautionary measure and to avoid

possible outbreak of cholera,” Okong’o said.

 The notice was served under provisions of the public health Act Cap

242 section 155,119 and the school health policy and rules.

It stated that the medical officer of health was un-satisfied with the

hygiene situation at Ogada primary school.

Speaking over the matter, the school head teacher Andrew Opiyo said

they received the letter and responded as directed.

He said the school was established in the year 2014 and it has been

operating with temporary pit latrines. The infrastructures were

described as not safe for human.

According to the head teacher, they received the letter with a warning

that the dilapidated state of pit latrines is likely to cause diseases

in human being.

Early in the month, Homa Bay government announced an outbreak of

cholera after five people were diagnosed with the disease.

“We have tried to put up new latrines without success due to financial

constraints. We’re appealing to well-wishers to come to our aide,”

Opiyo said.

The school board of management chairman Paul Nyakwae said public

health officers closed the school after a latrine used by pupils sunk.

“Most infrastructures we have in this school were built by the

community. Let the government build for the school because these ones

have become unsafe,” he said.

Ndhiwa MP Martin Owino was asked to intervene by allocating money from

National Government Constituency Development Fund (NGCDF) to improve

the school infrastructures.

Residents led by Ogallo Akech said the state of the school

infrastructure is wanting and there is need for urgent intervention to

enable pupils resume learning.

He argued that continuous stay home by the pupils is a disservice and

interference with their education.

“Let’s use emergency funds to build latrines for the school. Gone are

the days when school infrastructures used to be mabati suits and mud

wall,” Akech said.