At least 600 learners from remote Juhudi primary in Kauma Sub-county, Kilifi have benefitted from five fully- fledged modern classrooms and 16 toilets donated by a Switzerland-based charitable organization.
The learners who used to study under the trees while sitting on logs besides the biting hunger in the region have a reason to smile after PRO GANZE, a Switzerland based NGO identified the region’s gaps affecting education and donated the five classrooms each with 50 desks.
Speaking at Juhudi primary yesterday, Kauma sub-county director for education Haro Deche Mwatsuma said that the school will get into another level since the learning environment directly contributes to the performance and well-being of the learners.
He said that the construction of the modern fully-fledged classrooms and the toilets will now bridge the gap that existed in the school when the learners used to study under cashew nut trees and mud-thatched houses.
A view of the 5 Classrooms block at Juhudi primary school that was donated by PRO GANZE a Switzerland based charitable organization Photo by Enricko Karisa
He acknowledged that there is the need for the government to add more teachers into the school since the ratio of teachers to learners in the school is very low.
Juhudi Primary head teacher Omar Dele expressed his gratitude saying that lack of classrooms and inadequate learning materials were a huge setback to the school.
Desks in one of the classrooms at Juhudi primary school-Kauma Photo by Enricko Karisa
Dele said that even though the school still lacks an administration block, the classrooms, each capable of accommodating 200 pupils, will elevate the performance of the school.
He stated that the school only had two classrooms built through the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) with no toilets and water.
He urged the government to employ more teachers and deploy to the school stating that the numbers of learners are high and will even be higher following the classrooms’ construction.
Kauma Sub County Deputy County Commissioner Kepha Kegeni commended the organization urging other willing NGOs to partner not only in improving education in the area but also other basic amenities being that Kauma is newly created sub-county and needs a lot of development.
Kegeni said that the government is committed to collaborating with NGOs to ensure that the region is developed.
Jaribuni ward Member of County Assembly (MCA) Peter Shehe who is directly linked to PRO Ganze through the organization’s president Barbra Furher who happens to be his wife, lauded the move saying that it is a step forward.
He promised that he will push to have more organizations collaborate to develop the region besides the government efforts.
He added that the construction of the 16 toilets is a huge development especially that sanitation in the region has been previously reported to be in poor conditions.
IAN BYRON