Katithini Primary School in Kitui has received less than half of its pupil population after families were evicted from the area last month.
Tana and Athi River Development Authority evicted about 1,000 families from the land next to Kiambere dam along the Tana River on March 23.
TARDA said the families were illegal squatters on its land in Katithini, Katoomi, Kithumuoni and Burrow pit.
On Tuesday, Katithini Primary head teacher Charles Mwangangi said only 166 pupils had reported on that day out of 335.
He said that those who reported on the first day of the new term were 180.
“Our pupil's enrolment has been affected by the eviction,” Mwangangi said.
“Most families have moved to distant places after being evicted thus their children cannot make it to attend classes in our school.”
He said the school could be closed as it sits on the land claimed by TARDA. It has not been registered by the Ministry of Education since it was started in 2014.
“We are apprehensive that sooner than later it will also be pulled down as they did to homes, shops and other infrastructure during eviction last month,” the head teacher said.
He said consultations with education authorities were ongoing to find a way forward on the future of the school.
“The four TSC teachers and the available learners are discouraged and wary because we are not sure whether our classrooms will as well be pulled down by TARDA,” he said.
Parents Teachers Association chair Joseph Kimanzi said that the disruption of learners' attendance at the school was dire. It will lead to many school drop-outs, he said.
“Even as TARDA asks us to move out of their land, they should allocate us land where we can have a school for our children,” Kimanzi said.
“Let then treat us the same way they treat our Embu neighbours for whom they have allocated land for schools, markets and even a police station.”
Edited by Kiilu Damaris