Parents of students who study in day secondary schools within Kiharu constituency will from now on be paying a fee of Sh. 1, 000 per term.
The area MP Mr. Ndindi Nyoro said the local National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) has allocated Sh. 60 million, which will cater for lunches for day-scholars.
Launching a programme dubbed Kiharu Masomo Bora at Mugoiri Day Mixed School, Nyoro added that the parents will only be parting with Sh1000 per term, saying the programme is aimed at improving education standards of day scholars.
He observed that the allocated amount will also facilitate the construction and renovation of infrastructure at day secondary schools like classrooms, laboratories, libraries among others.
Nyoro said that Kiharu NG-CDF has partnered with a non-governmental organization by the name Food for Education, to successfully implement the programme by providing part of the financial support.
“The programme aims to renovate infrastructure of all our 60 day secondary schools within Kiharu constituency. The money will also provide an improved menu for lunches of the more than 14,000 students admitted in the day schools. The lunches will be provided from Monday to Saturday and there will also be porridge during 10am break time,” remarked Nyoro.
The legislator further said the local NG-CDF has also set aside Sh. 10 million which will facilitate buying and distribution of revision books to the schools. “Our children will also get revision books and this will in the long run ensure they perform well like those who study in boarding schools,” he added.
Representative of the Food for Education Organization Mr. Nick Daniels promised to support the programme which will see improvement of education standards in Kiharu. “Education is crucial to make a country rich,” he said and called for more resources to be channeled to the sector.
Daniels observed that the Masomo Bora programme will launch a revolution in the education sector not only in the country but outside Kenya. “The programme will show the way on how to end classroom hunger and learners will concentrate on their studies,” he added
He noted that school feeding has been a big challenge in many countries, and lauded Kiharu constituency for coming up with the programme which will see learners get lunches for free while at school
By Anita Omwenga and Bernard Munyao
