In the wake of Form One reporting exercise across the country, Josephine Omoto, the principal of Muyafwa Secondary School in Matayos, Busia County, on Thursday, May 5 revealed that her school neither has a library nor a laboratory.
Speaking to the media, Omoto revealed that the school, despite emerging among the best in the recently announced KCSE exam results, does not have the adequate infrastructure to deliver its core mandate.
The principal noted that the institution, which only has two permanent structures, could not handle its current population and at times, is forced to use classrooms of neighbouring Muyafwa Primary.
"The school has been facing many challenges as we do not have the facilities in place. At times the students are forced to take some of their classes in the primary school section," the school head revealed.
Omoto revealed that the school, which was constructed under the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), has a number of abandoned structures that were under construction. In addition, the sanitization conditions are poor as water is scarce.
"We have a huge shortage of water. The students have been forced to fetch water in the valley, a distance of about three kilometres from the school," the school principal revealed
The Chairperson of the institution's Board of Management Winston Mbanda admitted that the deteriorating conditions have led to a drop in the enrollment of students in the school. He added that even pupils in the neighbouring Muyafwa Primary School dread joining the facility.
Going by the requirements of the Ministry of Education, the Muyafwa Secondary risks being shut down for failure to meet the standards of high school.
"Confirm availability of adequate tuition infrastructure: four classes and at least a laboratory for secondary schools for 8-4-4 or 3 classes junior secondary and three classes senior secondary for the Competency-Based Curriculum," reads the regulation in part.
The ministry further recommends that schools should have a library (15 by 12 metres) that can accommodate 45 learners. It further proposes that schools maintain proper sanitization conditions.
Muyafwa shares challenges with other public secondary schools, which have decried inadequate infrastructure to host over 1.2million Form One students reporting to their respective schools between May 4 and 10.
Several principals have noted that they have been forced to convert some of their classrooms to dormitories to cater for the surplus. Despite the concerns, Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha has warned the latter not to turn away students.
