Almost half a million learners have not returned to school weeks after Term Two began, according to Save the Children.
Approximately 497,783 students remain at home or in temporary shelters, unable to resume their studies due to severe flooding.
Joint assessments by the Ministry of Education (MoE), Save the Children, and UNICEF reveal extensive damage to over 3,781 classrooms and 18,615 toilets.
The flooding has also led to a rise in waterborne diseases, with the Ministry of Health reporting that 49% of the affected individuals are children aged between one and ten years.
Contaminated water has infiltrated classrooms, playgrounds, and homes, exacerbating the spread of these diseases.
The mental health of the children has also been significantly impacted. Many children are experiencing anxiety and sleep disturbances due to the heavy rains.
Jackson, a parent from Nairobi’s informal settlement, shared, “Children are scared and they start crying whenever it starts raining.
Teachers tell me that even in school, they get scared when it starts raining and they won’t calm down until the rains stop.”
Flood-affected families, still in temporary shelters awaiting relocation, face numerous protection concerns.
These include Sexual Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), loss of walking aids and wheelchairs for children with disabilities, lack of clean water for cooking and drinking, and psychosocial stress and trauma.
Save the Children is urging the government to support relevant ministries in conducting rapid assessments to inform recovery efforts.
The organization emphasizes the need to repair damaged classrooms, dormitories, and toilets, provide alternative learning spaces, and promote health and hygiene sessions within schools and communities.
“We call on the government to allow for the unconditional enrollment of displaced children to nearby accessible schools.
Further, we are urging urgent public health measures to reduce risks of waterborne diseases in schools whose sanitation facilities are damaged.
All children have a right to a quality, safe, and inclusive education,” said Mohamed Abdiladif, Interim Country Director of Save the Children Kenya & Madagascar.
The charity organization stresses the importance of swift government intervention to ensure that all affected children can return to a safe and conducive learning environment.
Addressing the health, safety, and educational needs of these children is critical for their well-being and future prospects.
The call to action includes immediate repairs to infrastructure, provision of essential resources, and ongoing support for the mental and physical health of the affected learners.
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