)
)
When two Kenyan schoolgirls were mocked by their peers for lacking underwear, the incident revealed how poverty shows up in classrooms in painful, often invisible ways.
We tend to view education through the lens of exams, teachers, or infrastructure, but for many children, it is the little things that determine whether they feel confident enough to sit in class or too ashamed to attend at all.
These are the overlooked basics that can make or break a child’s school life.
1. Basic clothing and hygiene
)
)
)
Clothing is not just about covering the body in school, it is tied to dignity, safety, and belonging. For girls, underwear is essential for confidence.
Without it, they face humiliation, as seen in the recent case of the two ridiculed students. Similarly, shoes protect more than feet.
Children who walk long distances barefoot risk injury, infections, and stigma, as classmates in proper shoes single them out.
)
)
)
Uniforms, meant to create equality, often do the opposite when they are torn or missing, making learners easy targets for ridicule or even getting them sent home.
For girls, sanitary pads remain a critical issue: period poverty still forces many to skip classes, creating gaps in learning that add up to weeks each year.
Even something as small as soap and toiletries affects how a child is treated. Poor hygiene can lead to isolation and bullying, showing just how central dignity is to learning.
2. Nutrition and health
A child’s ability to learn is directly tied to their health and nutrition. Yet many Kenyan children study on empty stomachs because families cannot afford breakfast or lunch.
Teachers often describe learners who fall asleep in class, not from laziness, but from hunger. A simple school meal programme can transform concentration, energy, and performance. Access to clean drinking water is another silent factor.
Dehydration lowers focus, while unsafe water exposes children to diseases that keep them out of school.
Healthcare access, too, is often taken for granted. Something as small as untreated dental pain, poor eyesight, or a lingering infection can derail a learner’s progress.
Without basic medical care, these small health issues quietly build into barriers that stop children from reaching their full potential.
3. Learning essentials
Education is impossible without the right tools. Exercise books and pens may look inexpensive, but for many families they are a recurring struggle.
Children without these basics risk punishment or exclusion from classwork. Textbooks and reading materials present a bigger challenge, with many learners forced to share or go without, slowing down their ability to study or keep up with lessons.
Even the way learning materials are carried matters. Some children use plastic bags in place of school bags, a situation that chips away at their self-esteem and sets them apart from peers.
Having a proper bag may look like a small privilege, but for a child, it symbolises readiness, organisation, and belonging.
4. Emotional and social factors
Beyond material needs, children need safe and supportive environments to thrive in school.
Bullying, ridicule, or corporal punishment can discourage attendance, as seen in the story of the two girls mocked over underwear.
When learners associate school with shame rather than encouragement, they are more likely to withdraw or drop out.
Parental involvement also plays a vital role. Children who receive encouragement at home tend to show more confidence in class, while those without guidance struggle silently.
Peer acceptance is equally powerful. Something as small as lacking a neat uniform or proper shoes can push children away from friends, leaving them isolated.
For young learners, that social exclusion can be as damaging as hunger or lack of books.