Residents of Kangu in Mwea, Kirinyaga county, are urging the government to build them a primary school in the village as the available ones are too far.
They said their children have to cover long distances in pursuit for an education.
John Njera is one of the parents who fears for his children's safety as they have to walk for approximately 6km to and from school.
Like other parents, Njera's worry is the busy Embu-Mwea highway as pupils have to cross it to get to school.
“The closest school is Nyangati Primary School which is about 2km away. However, our children have to cross this busy highway, where vehicles move at an alarming high speed,” Njera said.
He added that the other two schools that are nearby are Mutungara and Gakuo primary schools, which are three and four kilometres respectively. Njera said some students have to use bicycles to get to school on time.
“To make their way to Mutungara, our children have to pass through a thicket that is not safe at all, while those making their way to Gakuo have to pass through a thicket and the Murubara river that has no proper bridge and swells often whenever it rains .”
Lydia Wanjiku, another parent, said girls are the most vulnerable. Wanjiku said most parents have to accompany them in the morning and help them cross the highway. She also said most children perform very poorly due to body fatigue due to the long journeys.
“Their performance deteriorates by the day. They hardly concentrate in class because of fatigue . Parents are always anxious of our children’s safety as most of us are not always present to help them cross the highway in the evenings.”
Wanjiku Githinji, another parent, said although her children have since completed school, her grandkids are bearing the brunt their parents went through, a situation she terms as unfortunate.
“I have been at the forefront in petitioning our leaders to help us come up with modalities on how to have a school that will be convenient for our children to no avail,” Wanjiku said.
She added that their request to have a permanent bridge built along River Murubara has also not bore any fruit as the makeshift bridges that are often put up are swept by the raging waters whenever it rains.
Mwangi Muchoki said the state of insecurity in the region aggravates the concern for their children.
He noted that children as young as seven years have to walk under the cover of darkness in the insecure prone village as they head to school.
“You will find Class 1 pupils walking to school as early as 6am, an indication they woke up at the crack of dawn. This village is also very insecure as it also lies along the highway.”
They now are urging the government to put up street lights, erect bumps along the highway and help them build a school.
The star attempted to reach area MP Kabinga Wachira over the concerns but he did not respond to our calls and texts.
Area deputy county commissioner Fred Ayieko said residents ought to submit a proposal expressing their need.
He said for a new school to be established, the government has to undertake an evaluation and be satisfied with various requirements.
“There has to be ECD centres that will be key in feeding a newly established primary school .”
“A school could also be put up in a location if the nearer ones have hit a maximum capacity ,”he said.
About the busy Mwea-Embu highway, Ayieko said the concerned department will put up bumps and Zebra crossing along the Murubara and Nyangati area.
He also said that the public will be sensitized on how to observe and obey the traffic rules as well as the road sign boards .
“Motorists and pedestrians should be responsible while using the road. Let them follow the traffic rules to the latter so as to reduce the number of accidents occurring at the busy highway.”