Taita Taveta County is facing a growing basic education crisis as schools across the region struggle with a severe shortage of learners.
A spotlight report by NTV Kenya has highlighted the sharp decline in school enrolment, with some institutions recording numbers far below the recommended Ministry of Education thresholds. At Marie Primary School in Sagala Ward, for instance, only two learners were reportedly enrolled for the entire academic year.
The crisis has been linked to several factors, including severe hunger and drought, which have disrupted families and contributed to school dropouts. The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has reported cases of children collapsing in classrooms due to hunger, with some families forced to withdraw their children from school.
The declining enrolment has also created unusual teacher-to-learner ratios in some schools, with the number of employed teachers exceeding the total number of students.
Meanwhile, deteriorating infrastructure has added to the problem. Some school facilities have fallen into disrepair amid declining enrolment, further discouraging families from sending their children to the affected institutions.
Education stakeholders are now calling for urgent interventions to address food insecurity, improve school infrastructure and encourage families to keep children in school. Without immediate action, the continued decline in learner numbers could threaten the future of basic education in parts of Taita Taveta County.
Source Attributed:Nation Newspaper