Govt urged to use Kazi Mtaani initiative to clear bushy schools for clean environment

Lawyer James Aggrey Mwamu, Chairman of Mwalimu James Japheth Mwamu Foundation when the foundation donated items that include water tanks, Sanitizers and Face masks to pupils of Buoye Primary school in Kisumu East. The Foundation has so far donated such items to 13 schools in Kisumu County-Photo By Dickson Odhiambo.

 By Dickson Odhiambo

October 18, 2020

Govt urged to use Kazi Mtaani initiative to clear bushy schools for clean environment

THE Government has been urged to use the Kazi Mtaani initiative so as help in making schools clean after re-opening last Week.

Former President of the East African Law Society James Aggrey Mwamu says a number of schools across the country including those in Kisumu county have long grass which has grown for the last seven months when the learning institutions were closed indefinitely due to Corona Virus pandemic.

Addressing pupils and teachers of Primary schools when he toured schools in Kisumu East and Nyando Sub-counties where he donated items like Water tanks, Sanitizers and face masks through Mwalimu James Japheth Mwamu Foundation to help schools on the issue of managing the Covid-19 pandemic, Lawyer Mwamu says many schools are now very bushy and can harbor snakes and other dangerous animals that might harm school going children hence need to be cleared.

Mwamu says the Government should take up this challenge and clean the schools through the Kazi Mtaani Initiative as well as the National Youth Service to engage in such serve to schools.

He says a number of schools in Kisumu County were turned into camping places where victims of floods who stayed in some schools when rains destroyed their homes hence such schools should be prepared for learning purposes.

Mwamu who is also the Chairman of the Mwalimu James Japheth Mwamu Foundation says so far the Foundation has donated the said items to 13 schools.

He adds that it is targeting 100 schools both Secondary and primary in Kisumu County by  the end of December this year so as to help them cope up on the management of Covid-19 pandemic which has made schools across the country to be indefinitely closed for seven months from March to October this year.

Mwamu has also appealed to other well-wishers to chip in and help the issue of giving out face masks, water tanks and sanitizers in schools, adding that many schools still lack these essential items.

“I have gone around schools in Kisumu County and many students and pupils still done have face masks because their parents can’t afford buying them hence the need to appeal to other well-wishers to come to their aid,” he says.

He says the Government should find a way of ensuring that more structures are in schools ahead of the re-opening schools by other students other than the Grade four, Class eight and form four, adding that putting tents outside class rooms should also be an option by the Government.

“The Corona virus is still with us and we are not yet out of the woods. This therefore calls for the Government to see a way of having more infrastructure in schools by putting new class rooms or having tents outside class rooms so as to help in achieving the issue of social distancing when schools re-opens to other students other than those in Grade four, class eight and form four,” Mwamu says.

The foundation visited four schools that include Nyalunya, Orongo Secondary school, Buoye and Nyamware Primary schools.

Buoye Primary school Head Teacher James Saina says there are a number of challenges facing the schools due to the Covid-19 ranging from some pupils lacking face masks while coming to school.

He says there is need to have more learning space since the issue of maintaining social distance in class rooms is very important.

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