[kictanet] Lemek Primary Boarding School, Is this the picture of our rural schools?

[Ali Hussein]

Listers

Over the weekend I was in Narok County on some business. On our way back we gave a lift to a Mr. Michael Lemerian, the Deputy Head Teacher of Lemek Boarding. What he had to tell us was a sorry tale mixed with humor. What it was ultimately is a major indictment of the Education System in the country.

First, a bit of background. 

Lemek village, Narok County is 200kms from Nairobi with a population of about 250. The school which is a mixed boarding and day school accommodates about 800 students.

From our conversation with Michael, he told us a few things:-

1. None of the students and majority of the teachers (95%) have ever operated a computer
2. Asked about the Tablet/Computer/Laptop program - Michael told us that the first time they heard about the tablet they wondered whether the government was about to send them tablets (of the medicine kind). Seriously.
3. None of the teachers and the school have an email address.
4. Michael had a vague idea of what google is and wondered whether Facebook had something to do with the face..
5. There is only one computer for typing exams
6. No inspectors from the ministry have visited the school for a whole year. The only time they visited was when teachers were on strike.
7. This year the government allocated 108k for books.
8. 1 bed for two kids (yes, kids share a bed) 
9. According to Michael, the school has sent only one student through to university in the last 4 years.

Is this the typical Rural Kenya School? 

How can we help the Education Ministry improve this lot? Otherwise we are facing a situation where the Global Competitiveness of the country is rapidly deteriorating.

Any senior person from the Education Ministry on the list?

Ali Hussein

+254 0770 906375 / 0713 601113

"Kujikwaa si kuanguka, bali ni kwenda mbele" (To stumble is not to fall but a sign of going forward) - Swahili Proverb

Sent from my iPad
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