Tharaka Nithi County has kicked off preparations for re-opening of primary and secondary schools through tendering for more desks to help needy schools meet the social distancing guideline by the Ministry of Health.
Tharaka Nithi County Commissioner (CC) Ms. Beverly Opwora said the government has established Implementation Committees both at the county and sub-county levels to put in place compliance measures to enable the schools re-open in conducive environments.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has affected education among other sectors in our country and the government has established the county implementation committee to oversee the provision of desks to needy schools in preparation of schools re-opening,” said the CC.
Speaking during the launch of the exercise at Chuka Girls’ High school Tuesday, Ms. Opwora called on the youth groups in the Jua Kali sector to apply for the supply of the desks through their Deputy County Commissioners.
“Application forms are available through the chiefs and their assistants but once duly completed, they should be handed over to the Deputy County Commissioners and the beneficiaries are the youth with skills who have organized themselves into groups,” she elaborated.
The CC further disclosed that the project aimed at empowering the local jua kali sector, with very lucrative offers in that those who win tenders to supply the desks will be paid 50% as down payment to enable them meet the quality expected.
Speaking during the event the Tharaka Nithi County Director of Education (CDE0Ms. Bridget Wambua called on parents to ensure that they send their children back to school as soon as they are re-opened by the government irrespective of their financial positions.
“The children have already lost a lot due to the pandemic and any fees issues should be discussed with the school’s administration while the children are learning,” said the CDE.
Ms. Wambua who is the secretary to the County Implementation Committee, further emphasized that the government has all the interests of the children at heart and would only give directives for the re-opening of the schools once it is safe to do so.
She said the desks would be provided to 15 needy schools in each sub-county which would further be equitably distributed to all the sub-counties as be advised by the Sub-County Implementation Committees.
By David Mutwiri
