Grade One, Two, Three, Class Five, Class Six and Class Seven are set for resumption in the Second phase of reopening schools.
However, majority of the schools are packed to the brim and there isn’t enough space to accommodate them.
Citing an example of Fuleye Primary School in Kwale County; Samburu Sub-County, 9 out of 12 classrooms have been occupied.
The school has a population of 630 pupils, 181 have reported in phase one which equals to 28% of pupils expected to report back to school.
The remaining three classes can’t accommodate the 78% who are yet to report. This is the crisis facing schools that have to enforce social distance to curb the spread of Covid-19.
The teachers have expressed fears that the congestion and shortage of space might send the school into a crisis once the second phase of re-opening of schools commences.
The teachers have complained about the unavailability of sitting space for the pupils. At the moment, the only available classrooms are occupied by Grade Four and Standard Eight.
The Standard Eight pupils, now occupy three classrooms, while the Grade Four pupils are in six classrooms, with each room housing 20-22 students.
Before Covid-19, the Standard Eight pupils occupied one classroom with 68 pupils, while the Grade Four pupils occupied two classrooms, each with more than 55 pupils.
The teachers are now worried about the second phase of opening schools for lack of space to accommodate the remaining students. There are only three classrooms left, of which one is a Covid-19 isolation centre.
The school has inadequate water supply, however pupils carry water from home. The pupils have also been supplied with liquid soap, which the school bought together with three thermogans for daily temperature checks.
The teachers are happy to be back after a long holiday. The school has 12 teachers including the headteacher.