Kenyan School Owner Turns Classrooms into Poultry Houses to Support Teachers as Covid-19 Crisis Bites

A Kenyan school owner has decided to convert classrooms into poultry houses to earn an alternative income for himself and his employees amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

All schools were shut in March following the outbreak of the disease in the country and will not be reopened until next year.

The closure has adversely affected nearly all private schools with owners being unable to meet financial obligations such as paying teachers and other employees.

The Kenya Private Schools Association recently said hundreds of private schools have since closed permanently citing lack of finances to keep the institutions running.

But Lincoln Njogu, the proprietor of Ndima Kanini Academy in Karatina, Nyeri County, decided to try something different to earn himself and his employees a living. 

Njogu says the suffering his employees were going through without pay motivated him to start rearing chicken at the school to help them feed their families.

“We are currently rearing chicken in our classrooms with teachers so that they can earn something for their upkeep so far we have sold three batches and they have something to eat,” he told Capital FM.

One of the teachers said he was happy to be involved in the project, and unlike his colleagues from other private schools who are on unpaid leave, he is able to pay his bills and put food on the table.

Nyeri County Private Schools Association Coordinator Kariuki Ndegwa said the government should set up a special fund to enable private schools to pay their teachers.

“We as an association want to urge our government to provide us with funds in form of grants or loans this will ensure that we are able to maintain our teachers whom we have put on unpaid leave otherwise many of the schools will close shop forever,” said Ndegwa.