The government is investing Sh. 8.2 billion through the World Bank to ensure there are adequate laboratories in all secondary schools in the country.
The Early Learning and Basic Education Principal Secretary (PS), Dr. Belio Kipsang said this was part of the government’s commitment to create a level playing field for students in all public schools.
Dr. Belio said the government was committed to ensuring that adequate teachers are deployed to schools, and to widen the scope, he added, the government will employ 10,000 intern teachers to form part of the workforce that will ensure a level playing ground for all learners in public schools is achieved.
“It will not matter which school a student attends since the playing field will be level and each learner will have equal opportunity to excel in their education,” he said.
Speaking on Monday during the launch of the Sh. 1.6 billion Nova Pioneer Group of Schools project in the outskirts of Eldoret town, the PS who represented Education Cabinet Secretary, Prof. George Magoha said the government’s commitment to ensuring a one to one book ratio for all learners following the 100% transition policy has been achieved.
“All our learners from grade one to form four currently have a one to one book ratio,” said Dr. Belio who was flanked by the Uasin Gishu Governor, Jackson Mandago and his Trans Nzoia counterpart, Patrick Khaemba during the occasion.
To ensure that all last year’s KCPE candidates transit from primary to secondary school next year, the PS said, the government launched a scholarship fund for 9000 students transiting to form one.
“Children from informal settlements in our towns will also be beneficiaries of this fund because we want to give each child an equal opportunity in education regardless of their social economic background,” stressed Dr. Belio.
Dr. Belio lauded the role the private sector is playing in education saying more than 200,000 students who sat KCPE this year will be able to take up their education in private sector schools next year.
“Although we have placed more than 1,000, 075 candidates in public secondary schools, we are cognizant that some, out of freedom of choice, will join private schools. Nova Pioneer Group of Schools alone will absorb 400 of the students,” he said.
The PS assured the private sector investors that the government will continue to partner with them in education development considering that it plays a critical role in filling a critical gap for students who would have otherwise missed form one places.
“The contribution of the private sector in ensuring the noble objective of having every child transit to the next level of learning after primary school is achieved cannot be gainsaid,” said the PS.
“Two years ago we committed as a government to entrench the 100% transition policy from primary to secondary school, and the Private sector has contributed greatly in ensuring no child is left behind,” said Dr. Belio adding that Kenya was among the very few countries that have achieved the 100% transition from primary to secondary school.
The Nova Pioneer Group of Schools partnered with Local Authorities Pension Trust (LAP Trust), in the development of the two secondary schools, a Girls wing and a Boys wing, that will open its doors for new student admission in January 2020.
By Kiptanui Cherono
