Education Cabinet Secretary Professor George Magoha has assured grade six learners and parents of a 100 per cent transition to a junior secondary school following the completion of (Competency Based Curriculum) CBC classrooms in various counties across the country.
He commended the education stakeholders from Migori County for being among the first counties to complete the construction of all the CBC classrooms and particularly top in Nyanza.
Professor Magoha was speaking during his visit to Kodero Bara Secondary School in Rongo Sub County where he oversaw the completion of three newly constructed CBC classrooms.
The CS visit was in preparation for the admission of grade six students into junior secondary schools which will come as of January 2023.
Professor Magoha added that the ministry is in the process of signing the contract for the second lot of construction which is 3500 classrooms.
In addition, he mentioned that another 1000 classrooms will be constructed by Secondary Education Quality Improvement Project (SEQIP) which will also be used for CBC education.
The CS assured the incoming grade six junior secondary students that the constructed CBC classrooms are spacious enough for young learners.
However, the CS distanced himself from saying that the government is only working for public schools, citing that the government is working for both public and private schools.
“There is no public and private child. Every child is equal. Private schools will be exploited and encouraged to build the new classes, to retain the pupils,” the CS noted.
“Both private and public schools have the policy to follow to prepare for a smooth transition,” he explained.
However, he called for stakeholders to be on high alert as some people might squander the money during the transition government hence, the mandate shall not be met.
Magoha commended the introduction of the GIS by the president, his Excellency Uhuru Kenyatta, for it is through the system that they can know the gaps within the education sector.
“We know the exact gap through the wisdom of our President Uhuru Kenyatta. We shall continue to rely on the system to help us in integrity matters as some principals are not supportive when it comes to integrity,” stated Magoha.
According to the CS, the government has already released money for this year’s first term in April. Therefore, calls by other school principals about the disbursements of the said amounts are uncalled for.
“The government had given out funds in April in support of the children for the current term. Every child has been allocated Ksh22, 400 therefore the noise we are hearing from some misinformed principals is fake,” confirmed the CS.
He assured that before the new term all money for the third time shall already be disbursed.
The CS warned that the schools should not entertain the drop of masking-up by the students now that the ministry of health warned of the new wave of Covid-19 outbreak.
“Children who put down their masks should pick them up again,” said CS Magoha on what schools do to protect students from the new wave of Covid-19.
By Polycarp Ochieng and George Agimba
