Mombasa: The Principal Secretary for the State Department for Petroleum, Mr. Mohammed Liban, has led a high-level assessment visit to Bahari Girls and Shimo La Tewa National Schools in Mombasa County as part of the government's ongoing inspection tour of the pioneering 20 schools under the LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) Adoption Project.
According to Kenya News Agency, the schools, which are among the first beneficiaries of the government-led initiative aimed at transitioning institutions from traditional biomass fuels to clean cooking solutions, gave resounding praise for the program's impact on daily operations, health, and the environment.
Speaking during the tour, Liban expressed satisfaction with the implementation of the project and commended the schools for embracing the new cooking technology. 'This is not just about gas. It is about our health, our forests, and our future. What we are seeing here is a transformation in how we care for our children, our workers, and our environment,' he said.
School administrators and kitchen staff from both schools expressed their enthusiasm about the change and adoption of LPG.
According to Bahari Girls' Principal, Sylvano Hamaro, the introduction of LPG has significantly improved efficiency in the kitchen. She stated that they previously spent a lot of money on firewood and charcoal, not to mention the health risks for their staff due to prolonged exposure to smoke. Now, she noted they are saving time and improving the overall kitchen environment.
At Shimo La Tewa, the impact was similarly notable. The principal, Mathew Mutiso, stated that it takes the cooks a shorter time to prepare meals while emphasizing that they no longer deal with smoke-filled kitchens or soot-covered walls.
'The food is cleaner, the cooking process is safer, and the working conditions have greatly improved,' Mutiso noted.
The kitchen staff echoed these sentiments, citing reduced workload and increased productivity. 'LPG has made our work easier. No more chopping firewood or dealing with smoke in our eyes all day. The food even tastes better now,' said one of the cooks.
The PS reiterated that the government is committed to scaling up the program to reach more schools across the country. 'We are setting a foundation for a greener future. The success we have witnessed in these schools is a clear indicator that this initiative is not only viable but necessary. Every tree saved, every kitchen made safer, and every school made more efficient is a step forward for our country.'
Training sessions on safe usage, regular maintenance, and long-term sustainability have also been prioritized.
The LPG in Schools Project is part of the government's broader commitment to promoting clean energy access and environmental conservation. The shift from firewood and charcoal to LPG is a strategic step in reducing deforestation and carbon emissions, aligning directly with Kenya's climate change mitigation goals under Vision 2030 and the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).