Trans Nzoia: Saiwa Comprehensive School Faces Crisis as Girls' Latrines Collapse

• A public primary school in Trans Nzoia county is staring at a hygiene crisis after four girls’ latrines collapsed
• The latrines have been used by over 150 girls at the school since they were constructed over nine years ago
• The school is now hoping for a miracle to happen and enable them to get new latrines before learners reopen on Monday, June 30, after the mid-term break

Trans Nzoia: Saiwa Comprehensive School in Sinyereri ward of Cherang'any constituency is facing a crisis after its girls’ latrines caved in.

The latrines collapsed on Tuesday, June 24, and the school is now struggling to secure an alternative before learners resume classes after a short mid-term break on Monday, June 30.

According to the school’s Board of Management (BOM) chairperson, Shadrack Terer, at least 150 girls who have been using the facility will be inconvenienced once learning resumes if the latrines are not fixed. The school has an enrollment of 590 pupils.

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"First, we thank God that there were no casualties when the latrines collapsed but we are worried about what will happen to our girls beginning Monday next week," Terer told TUKO.co.ke.

Cost of new latrines at Saiwa Primary School

The school estimates that it needs at least KSh 500,000 to construct new latrines. The four collapsed latrines were constructed through the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in 2016.

However, according to Terer, the public institution does not have the funds to finance the construction of new latrines due to limited and delayed disbursement of the school’s capitation.

Their efforts to reach out to the area Member of Parliament for support have also hit a snag.

"I held a meeting with the school head teacher, Sarah Koskei, who said the school does not have money to build the collapsed toilets. We then tried to reach the office of the Member of Parliament, Patrick Simiyu, but nothing is forthcoming. We are now left in a dilemma," the BOM chairperson said.

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TUKO.co.ke reached out to the Cherang'any National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) manager, Jackiline Kasili, over the matter, but she faulted the school for taking the issue to the media.

She noted that there are procedures that the school needs to take in the event of such an incident.

"They know the right procedure to get emergency funds, but if they (school BoM) think that the media is the solution, let them pursue that course," Kasili told TUKO.co.ke.

NG-CDF emergency reserve

The NG-CDF Act provides that 5 per cent of the fund is set aside as an emergency reserve every financial year.

In the 2024/2025 financial year, KSh 2.7 billion was set aside as an emergency reserve.

Cherang'any constituency received approximately KSh 197 million in the 2024/2025 financial year, and an estimated KSh 10 million was set aside for the emergency reserve.

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Migori parents stage demos

Previously, TUKO.co.ke reported that parents at Kabuto Primary School in Migori county had staged a protest over poor infrastructure.

The parents also accused the school head of mismanagement and imposing illegal levies on them.

They called on the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to transfer the head teacher, even as they appealed to the area Member of Parliament to intervene.

Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.

Source: TUKO.co.ke