Social Intelligence and Reporting Report on COVID-19 and School Re-Opening

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This Social Intelligence Report for January, 2021, provides findings of the progress made in the implementation of policies, programmes and projects supporting education that are aimed at making quality learning for all possible.

The report provides feedback on the performance of learning institutions in the five counties, with specific attention to making schools safe from COVID-19 infections and ensuring that all learners resume schooling without hindrances. During the period, most schools received less funding than the same period in the previous year and were not prepared to handle COVID-19 cases in the institutions. The investment by the Government and development partners in the COVID-19 prevention in public schools was low. Majority of schools did not have isolation facilities. Others provided empty semi-permanent rooms that were either not in use before or converted classrooms into isolation rooms.

It emerged that investment in construction of new facilities such as toilets and classrooms to improve students/facilities ratio and social distancing for reopening in 2021 was low across the all the five counties. Majority of rural-based schools face acute water shortage, making it difficult for them to enforce required hygiene standards, especially handwashing, in the fight against COVID-19. Almost all schools are linked to nearby health facilities for COVID-19 response.

Cases of pregnancy in 2020 especially in secondary schools were relatively higher compared with 2019. All schools in Migori County recorded at least one pregnancy case.  

School capitation in institutions with many students without birth certificate remains low. There were twice more girls dropping out of school (67) than boys (32) from January to March, 2021, with majority of the girls failing to resume learning due to pregnancy or having given birth.

The Mombasa and Isiolo county governments do not feed ECD children, forcing them to join nearby primary school feeding programmes and reducing available food rations.

Across all the counties, it emerged from the report that over fifty percent of children in primary schools do not have Birth Certificate, had acute water shortages, there lacked age (ECD) and disability appropriate services and infrastructure and low in COVID-19 prevention measures. The assessment also revealed that majority of the land in which schools are built do not have Title Deed thus risking the school land to possible grabbing.  The SIR exercise covered 35 schools — 18 primary schools, 15 secondary schools, two special schools and one private institution — spread in all the five counties. The entire report covers the executive summary, introduction, the process, methodology, data collection and analysis, county data trends, facility level information, facility SIR issues and follow up actions