Why Namwela Boys School is about to be closed

One of the oldest schools in Bungoma County is about to be closed after it was flagged as not fit for learning.

Despite being a popular school having been started in 1937 by the colonial government, the stature of Namwela Boys School in Sirisia constituency has deteriorated to the extent that performance has gone down.

From the outside, the school’s buildings appear to be in good shape. However, the devil is in the detail and as far as this secondary school is concerned one has to be inside to know what teachers and students have to persevere daily in order for learning to go on.

Inside, cracks can be seen on the classroom’s walls, the roofs are leaking and floors are dilapidated.

Fourteen pit latrines have also been closed by local health officials who said they were too risky to be used by the more than 400 students in the school.

NO BATHROOMS

Only one has been left for the students and another one for the 19 teachers.

They are also no bathrooms for the learners despite it being a boarding school. Students are forced to wake up early in the morning to take their baths outside their dormitories. There is no proper water supply and students are forced to travel several kilometres to a nearby river.

The only laboratory lacks equipment, there are no chairs and tables where science students can do their practicals.

The school also lacks a playing field hence students are unable to engage in any co-curricular activities.

The institution began as a primary school 80 years ago but was converted into a mixed secondary school in 1975.

Back when it was the darling of Bungoma, its structures among them the administration block, dormitories, dining hall, kitchen, bathrooms, laboratory and the library were the envy of many.

ISSUE CLOSURE NOTICE

It was the dream of most pupils to join the institution after their primary school education.

It is no longer the same. No student wants to join the school any more.

Namwela Division Public Health Officer Charles Watitwa, who is also the Bungoma West health promotion officer, said he will issue the closure notice to the school’s management if the previous warnings are not adhered to. He said he had asked the school’s management to construct new toilets as soon as possible or risk being closed.

“We can’t risk the lives of our children. Failure to adhere to the laid down rules will lead to the closure of this school. Everything is in a mess there,” he said.

The school’s principal Simon Watamba said the institution could be closed any time as he had received many warnings on the unsuitability of its structures for learning. “The situation in this school is very bad. All the buildings are in a sorry state they need to be demolished and new ones constructed. This is the only way it can be rescued,” he said.

WELL-WISHERS

Its sorry state has attracted the attention of well-wishers, including Communications Authority of Kenya Director-General Francis Wangusi, who seek to help the school get back on its feet.

Mr Wangusi, who hails from the area, said he had informed the Education ministry about the school’s status.

However, he said the ministry’s intervention would not be adequate as millions of shillings are required to make the school habitable again.

A group calling itself ‘Friends of Namwela’ has been formed to try and raise awareness about the problems facing the institution and at the same time raise funds for its renovation.

“We have to save this school because its current status is dangerous for students. We want to see students learning in a good environment so that they cannot contract diseases like cholera and typhoid,” said Mr Wangusi.

So far, close to Sh9 million has been raised but that is not enough as stakeholders say it will require more than Sh20 million for its full refurbishment. Among the more than 200 members of ‘Friends of Namwela’ is the renowned comedian James Chanji alias Mshamba who said the initiative was aimed at getting the school back to its former glory.

SH30 MILLION

The principal said the institution needs over Sh30 million to help rebuild it.

He said the school, which was initially called Chwele Boys Primary School, was elevated to Namwela Mixed Secondary School until 2011 when it became a boys’ school.

Mr Wangusi said he had approached a number of firms that have pledged to help the school with the rebuilding.

“There are corporate companies which have pledged to help us through their corporate social responsibilities by providing cash and computers so that the school is well equipped. We are also planning for a funds drive on September 30 where a senior government official will be a guest of honour,” he said.

The plan is to set up new structures and acquire more land for the school.

The institution has 19 teachers, 10 of them employed by Teachers Service Commission and the remaining by the school’s board of management to cater for the 400 students.