Parents in West Pokot County have been encouraged to send their children back to school as the government rolls out measures to provide comfortable learning environments, including the distribution of food under the school feeding programme.
Speaking during a food distribution event in Kapenguria, County Director of Education (CDE) Simon Wamae highlighted the high poverty levels in West Pokot, which often lead parents to withdraw their children from school due to an inability to afford three meals a day. Wamae emphasized that with the arrival of food consignments for schools, parents now have a compelling reason to ensure their children continue their education.
“Once they receive lunch, some of the children may go up to the following day without meals. Our schools now have food, and parents are requested to bring their children back to school,” Wamae urged.
The school feeding programme, funded by the Government of Kenya through the National Council for Nomadic Education in Kenya, is seen as a critical step in boosting student enrollment and improving access to education.
“We believe that the appearance of white smoke in the kitchen area indicates the imminent arrival of the food supply for the school feeding programme, which would aid the Ministry of Education in encouraging student attendance,” Wamae observed.
The CDE revealed that most sub-counties in West Pokot have already received complete food consignments for the school feeding programme. “In Pokot South sub-county, approximately 80 percent of the food for learners has been delivered, and we anticipate receiving the full consignment by the end of the week,” he disclosed.
Wamae also advised teachers to handle the food properly by ensuring it is safely stored, preventing spoilage, and avoiding wastage by cooking the correct proportions. “Ensure you use the recommended ratios of rice, pulses, cooking oil, and salt so that the food can last the 45 days it is supposed to last,” he advised.
He highlighted that there are 676 schools in the county participating in the school feeding programme and encouraged teachers to ensure all learners are captured in the National Education Management Information System (NEMIS) for proper coordination and allocation of food rations.
“The main challenge we face in the coordination of the school feeding programme is the lack of congruence with the school enrollment data. Schools should capture all the NEMIS to help get the exact quantities required for each school,” Wamae said.
West Pokot County Director of Children’s Services Phillip Wapopa expressed satisfaction with the government’s decision to release food for the school feeding programme in the county. He highlighted the negative impact of food scarcity on school enrollment, attendance, and retention rates.
“Our county is one of the counties hit by a high number of children who are out of school. Pokot North is leading, and parts of Kacheliba and Sigor. This has contributed to high teenage pregnancy and child marriages. With this intervention, we can stabilize our operations to ensure all children are in school,” explained Wapopa.
He also mentioned that the Department of Children Services has completed assessments of schools affected by long rains and drought in Sigor area, Pokot Central sub-county, and parts of Kipkomo sub-county. These assessments revealed that consistent food provision in schools significantly increased enrollment, attendance, and retention rates in Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) centers managed by the county government.
However, he noted that enrollment and attendance at primary and junior secondary levels fluctuated due to various factors, including food availability. “When food ratios decreased, the number of learners attending school also dropped significantly,” Wapopa observed.
