On a Friday morning, Jeruto *, a Grade Four pupil at Loruk Primary School, tightly held her younger sibling’s hand as they ventured through the flooded Loruk-Chemolingot road in Baringo County, navigating dangerously high waters to reach their school.
The journey was perilous, with crocodiles lurking beneath the surface and hippos wandering nearby.
For Jeruto and countless other children, this treacherous path is their only route to education.
Rising waters of Lake Baringo have cut off and isolated entire villages such as Chelelyo, Kiplelechony and Kakibech, severing access to essential services.
With the tarmac road submerged, children are forced to wade through waist-high water daily, sometimes waiting for the tide to recede in order to reach school.
The Daily Nation visited the area and found that learners cross the lake after the water subsides slightly by 8 am, many barefoot.
"We wait for the tide to go down before we can cross," Jeruto explained, her face a mixture of determination and dread.
They cling to one another as they cross the lake, which is teeming with crocodiles and hippos, to reach their school just 500 meters away as the only alternative route spans a daunting five kilometers.
Locals are alarmed by the risks. Parents like Jeniffer Cherono guide their children through the water every morning.
"It’s terrifying. The water is high enough to sweep them away and with crocodiles and hippos nearby, it’s a daily gamble. I have to help them every morning, then go back to my chores. It is the only way I can make sure they are safe,” she says.
A main gate leading to the Lake Bogoria National Reserve that has been submerged in water after the Lake broke its banks.
Photo credit: Florah Koech | Nation
The flooding has also kept younger children home, fearful of the waters.
But the danger isn’t limited to children. Rising waters have forced wild animals, including crocodiles and hippos, closer to homes.
"The hippos come out of the water to graze on our farms. The crocodiles come close to our homes. We are forced to go to bed early, fearing an attack," said Ms Cherono.
Loruk Primary School sits perilously close to the expanding lake. Over the past two months, floodwaters have consumed the school’s playing field, now just 30 meters from the compound.
The flooding has also created a breeding ground for mosquitoes, causing a surge in malaria cases among children.
Anne Talam, a teacher at Chepilat Primary, noted that enrollment has dropped significantly as families are either cut off or too afraid to send their children to school.
"Some children arrive late, and others stay home altogether, avoiding the lake crossing. We are also seeing an increase in waterborne illnesses like pneumonia because the kids arrive soaked," she said.
She shared a tragic incident where a pupil from Katuwit Primary was mauled by a crocodile while fetching water near the lake.
"The situation is dire. We need a bridge or a long-term solution to stop these daily risks," she pleaded.
Paul Rotich, a teacher at Katuwit Primary, confirmed that rising water levels which began before the August holidays, have intensified after the long rains.
"We have had to adapt to these rising waters, but many children are simply staying home," he said, noting that schools that remain open are seeing fewer students. "The flooding is affecting every school near the lake, including Loruk, Chepilat, and others."
Parents also fear the worst. Jennifer Ayapat, a parent, said learning could be paralysed if the flooding continues.
"If the rains continue, our schools will be completely submerged. And what about the candidates preparing for exams? They can’t afford to miss any more lessons," she said.
Across the lake at Noosukro Primary in Baringo South, more than 90 students have been left stranded. Floodwaters have completely submerged the school’s classrooms, teachers’ quarters, latrines and playing field.
"The water has kept rising since July. Six classrooms are underwater, and we have had to move the desks and books to a nearby dispensary for safekeeping. But the water is rising daily, and soon, the entire school may be gone," said Jones Lekatai, a parent.
"If we relocate the school to the dispensary, it is two kilometers away. The children will need to use boats to get home," he said.
Wilson Lemukut, a resident of Kokwa Island in Lake Baringo, Baringo County steers his boat on the lake on April 24, 2024.
Photo credit: Jared Nyataya | Nation Media Group
Mr Philemon Lemira, the school chairman, is calling for urgent action.
"In 2020, the lake completely swallowed the school. We were forced to learn under trees, and we were not included in the Ministry of Education’s rebuilding program. We are asking the government to relocate the school to higher ground to avoid this recurring nightmare," he said.
At Noosukro, the school headteacher Jeremiah Nakure, confirmed that learning has yet to resume this term.
"We have had to talk to the parents about temporarily relocating the students to the dispensary site. But the situation is critical. We are already teaching under trees, and with the lake’s waters moving closer every day, the risk of hippo and crocodile attacks is ever-present," he said.
Senior warden of Lake Baringo Jackson Komen, explained that the lake’s waters have risen by one to two meters since the rains began, partly due to swollen rivers feeding into the lake.
"The flooding is affecting more homes each day. We are advising locals to use boats for safety rather than wading through the flooded roads. If the rains continue, even more homes and schools will be submerged," he added, urging residents in flood-prone areas to move to higher ground, especially those who had returned after the lake had receded in previous months.
"The highland rains will have a ripple effect on the lowlands. It’s only a matter of time before more areas are affected," he warned.
