Kiharu National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) has established a programme aimed to improve education standards in the local day secondary schools.
In a programme dubbed ‘Kiharu Masomo bora’ that was launched by the area MP Ndindi Nyoro on Thursday, the day schools are set to receive resources from the NG-CDF Kitty that will transform academic standards and infrastructure of the schools.
During the occasion held at Mumbi grounds, Nyoro stated that the programme is aimed at relieving the financial burden borne by parents and improving the quality of education in the institutions.
He observed the initiative will not only address financial challenges faced by the parents to educate their children but also focus on holistic improvement of the quality of education.
“All students in the local 62 day secondary schools in Kiharu will be paying Sh.1000 per term as the rest of school fees will be settled by the local NG-CDF.” Nyoro said.
Through a partnership between Kiharu NGCDF and Food for Education program the students in the day secondary schools will be getting free meals while at school six days a week.
“The meals will include a cup of porridge at 10am and for lunch a plate of either Githeri or rice,” he said adding that the students will eat Githeri for three out of six days and rice on the other three days.
He further promised that the children will also eat chapatis for lunch every last Friday of the month.
The MP underscored the value of education and recognized the need for extra tuition for some students and said that in agreement with the head teachers, the Masomo Bora program capped the amount payable per student for remedial classes at sh.1000.
This program was piloted in 2023 benefitting over 13,000 students and is set to benefit over 15,000 students this year.
The MP noted that some of the schools have a very low student population and were therefore not sustainable.
As an incentive to increase the number of students in those schools, he said that all students joining the schools that have a student population of less than 100 students will not pay any fees for the first term and they will also get free school uniforms.
Some of the schools to benefit from free form one enrolment are Kambirwa, Koimbi, Kiumba, Mweru, Matharaiti, Kigetuini, Kigongo, Kagaa, Mbari ya Hiti, Rurii and St Luke Gituri and Gitie among others.
Nyoro said that all students from across the country who will enroll in Kiharu day secondary schools will get the same treatment and pay the same amount irrespective of where they come from.
On infrastructure, he said he has set aside Sh.100 million from the last financial year and this financial year for upgrading the infrastructure of schools including laboratories and libraries and tiling of floors
The NG-CDF has also set aside Sh 20 million over the same financial period for revision books.
The ‘Masomo Bora’ initiative launch was attended by several other legislators from across the country among other local leaders.
Nyoro applauded the school principals for their patience and collaboration during the piloting face of the initiative terming it a great success
Noting that the rising cost of living is a challenge, he said that the NGCDF will cover the financial differences caused by inflation and that burden will not be transferred to the parents.
By Purity Mugo and Bernard Munyao
