Preparations to accommodate Grade 9 learners in all public schools within the Central Region are complete, Central Region Director of Education, Sabina Aroni, has assured.
Towards the end of last year, the Government had confirmed the completion of some 410 classrooms for Grade 9 learners in the Central Region out of the projected figure of 491 classes.
The State plans to construct a total of 1,430 Grade 9 classrooms in the Central region at a cost of Sh1 million per classroom.
“We have had all our schools targeted for funding for construction in all our needy schools for Grade 9 classrooms under Phase 1 and Phase 2. Phase I and Phase 2 classrooms are ready and usable in most schools except a few schools that had special challenges but they have been handled and the construction is on,” she has told KNA.
“In schools that did not have ready classrooms for Grade 9 (learners), they will remain in Grade 8 classes. Arrangements have been made to accommodate any other Grade that may not have an immediate class.”
The classrooms are part of the 18,000 units that the government is constructing to accommodate the pioneer cohort of Grade 9 learners under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
The 1.3 million Grade 8 learners are expected to occupy these classrooms beginning this month.
In June last year, the Ministry of Education said that 11,000 classrooms will be constructed with support from development partners, while 7,000 would be constructed with funding from the National Government Constituency Development Fund.
Aroni also said schools that were ordered to close down their boarding facilities after failing to meet the required safety standards will remain so until they effect the required measures.
She said the Government has tasked Education Quality Assurance Officers (EQASO) to ensure all schools offering boarding services adhere to safety standards as stipulated by Government regulations.
The move followed a tragic fire incident at the Hillside Endarasha Academy in September last year, where 21 boys died and several others suffered serious injuries after a fire broke out at the school dormitory while they were asleep.
“Some schools were affected, and our officers on the ground were asked to liaise with the owners and see if they have put in place what is required, then the County Education Board will have no reason but grant them the authority to operate. In regard to Endarasha Hill Side School, we did not have any report of the school having any challenge with regard to opening, and so it will reopen for learning,” stated the Regional Education boss, who similarly confirmed that it’s all systems go as schools reopen for the first term.
Last year, the Ministry of Education ordered the immediate closure of boarding sections in 348 primary schools across the county for failing to meet safety and compliance standards.
The move followed an assessment that was carried out in September and October to evaluate the adherence of learning institutions to Safety Standards for Basic Education Institutions.
By Samuel Maina
