A Warm Welcome
At Tambacha Primary School, the PTR team was welcomed by Headteacher Mrs. Mellen Oyaro, her staff, and eager pupils. The school, with 500 learners (including 130 in ECD) and 13 teachers, operates on 2.6 acres of land. Despite its energy, Tambacha faces critical structural and welfare gaps.
Challenges Affecting Growth
- Teacher deficit: The school needs 5 more teachers to meet student demand.
- Birth certificates: Nearly 60% of learners lack documentation, cutting capitation funds.
- Feeding program: Covers Grades 5–9, but meals for junior secondary must be paid, leaving many children excluded.
- Economic barriers: Families often struggle to afford the KSh 1,000 registration fee for certificates or daily meals.
Cultural Engagement
PTR’s Russian language basics session inspired excitement among learners, who repeated greetings with curiosity and joy. Teachers welcomed the cultural connection as a way of boosting students’ confidence.
Conclusion
Tambacha Primary has committed leadership and enthusiastic learners, but growth is limited by staffing shortages, documentation gaps, and partial feeding programs. PTR pledged to work with partners in advocating for solutions, including school gardens for sustainable meals.
