Food Donation Gives Lifeline to Struggling Nandi Primary School
Education officials said similar efforts are needed in many rural schools where poverty, inadequate infrastructure and food insecurity continue to affect learners.
AIC Nandi Bishop David Moses Serem.
By Robert Mutasi
Pupils at AIC Kaplamai Primary School in Emgwen Constituency have received a timely food donation from AIC Nandi Bishop David Moses Serem, offering relief to learners at a school grappling with food shortages, declining enrollment and inadequate infrastructure.
The donation, delivered at the school in Kilibwoni Ward, is expected to strengthen the institution’s school feeding program, which education officials say plays a critical role in improving attendance, classroom concentration and academic performance.
Speaking during the handover ceremony, Bishop Serem said he decided to intervene after visiting the school and witnessing firsthand the challenges facing learners due to inadequate food supplies.
He said many children cannot concentrate in class on an empty stomach and emphasized that access to nutritious meals is essential to improving educational outcomes.
“Good nutrition is key to ensuring children attend school regularly and perform well academically,” Serem said.
The bishop appealed to well-wishers, religious organizations, government agencies and development partners to support schools facing similar challenges, saying community partnerships remain vital in improving the quality of education in rural areas.
Serem has been at the forefront of initiatives aimed at reviving struggling AIC-sponsored schools across Nandi County.
Among the institutions benefiting from his support is AIC Kipkombot Primary School in Mosop Constituency, where interventions to improve learning conditions have helped increase enrollment after years of declining student numbers.
Education officials said similar efforts are needed in many rural schools where poverty, inadequate infrastructure and food insecurity continue to affect learners.
At AIC Kaplamai Primary School, Head Teacher Edward Chirchir said the institution continues to face significant challenges despite the latest support.
He cited inadequate access to clean water, insufficient sanitation facilities and aging classrooms that require urgent renovation.
According to Chirchir, addressing these challenges would help create a safer and more conducive learning environment for pupils and teachers.
“We appreciate the food donation because it will help our learners, but the school still requires support in improving water supply, classrooms and sanitation facilities,” he said.
Deputy Head Teacher Eunice Cheruiyot said the school has experienced a steady decline in enrollment over the past two decades.
She attributed the decline partly to changes that followed the introduction of free primary education under former President Mwai Kibaki.
Cheruiyot explained that before free primary education was introduced, parents regularly contributed to the school’s feeding program.
However, many families stopped making those contributions after tuition fees were abolished, making it difficult for the school to sustain daily meals for learners.
She said the lack of a consistent feeding program has discouraged some parents from enrolling their children at the school.
According to Cheruiyot, some pupils walk more than three kilometers to and from school every day and often return home without lunch, making it difficult for them to remain attentive throughout the school day.
She said restoring a reliable feeding program would not only improve attendance but also encourage more parents to enroll their children at the institution.
Board of Management Chairman Thomas Misoi praised the school’s nutrition program, saying it has already demonstrated positive results whenever meals are consistently available.
He noted that attendance improves significantly during periods when pupils receive meals at school, underscoring the importance of sustained support from partners and donors.
School officials said AIC Kaplamai currently has 70 pupils, a figure they hope will increase as learning conditions improve.
They appealed to the national and county governments, churches, corporate organizations, non-governmental organizations and other well-wishers to partner with the school in addressing infrastructure gaps and expanding the feeding program.
Education stakeholders have long argued that school meal programs are among the most effective interventions for improving attendance, reducing absenteeism and enhancing academic performance, particularly in rural communities where many families face economic hardship.
For the pupils of AIC Kaplamai Primary School, the latest donation represents more than just food. It offers renewed hope that with continued community support, the school can overcome its challenges, improve enrollment and provide children with a better opportunity to learn and succeed.
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