The Ministry of Water and Irrigation in collaboration with the Rural Electrification Authority (REA) are set to drill water in all Kenya schools that have been connected to electricity.
Simon Gicharu, the Chairman of REA said a total of US$50m will be used for the project in Kenya schools located in arid and semi-arid areas of the country.
Kepsha Annual conference
Speaking in Mombasa during the ongoing Kenya Primary Schools Head Teachers Association (Kepsha) 12th annual conference at the Sheikh Zayed Children’s Center Dr Gicharu said the move is aimed at utilizing electricity that has been connected to over 22,000 schools all over the country.
Mr Gicharu said the project is aimed at making clean water readily accessible to students. He added that they are working with the Ministry of water and Irrigation so as to fully utilize energy.
He also said that over 2,000 transformers will be set up in schools connected with electricity to ensure uninterrupted supply of power.
The government has already connected electricity to more than 22, 245 schools with work going on in 312 school while additional work in 586 schools will be commissioned soon.
Kenya schools targeted for water
REA is targeting to connect 23,411 schools by the end of this year.
According to statistics from the energy ministry a total of 18,074 schools are connected to the national grid while 4,171 have been connected to solar.
The initiative is aimed at ensuring the success 1.2 million laptop project to class one pupils in all public Kenya schools in the country as well as open up economic activities in the country.
Statistics show that Elgeyo /Marakwet, has 388 schools connected to power with 337 on electricity while 61 on solar. Out of the 804 schools identified in Bungoma, only 79 are remaining while Kericho county, 595 schools have been connected to the grid and 27 in progress.
Availability of water in Africa continues to be a major challenge in the wake of drought in some parts of the continent and poor government policies. According to WHO Young children die before reaching 5 years old due to water related illness.