The government has in the last three years disbursed Sh127.4 million to 103 secondary schools in Makueni County to expand infrastructure to meet the high enrolment of students due the 100 percent transition policy.
County Commissioner Maalim Mohammed said the money was paid out to the schools from 2017 to 2020 to construct classrooms, dormitories among other facilities to reduce congestion.
“The infrastructure grants were given to the selected secondary schools due to the increasing number of students transitioning to the institutions,” said Maalim.
Similarly, the county commissioner disclosed that the government had spent Sh. 57.3 million for free day secondary school education in public schools since 2013.
“The government has also distributed Sh. 477 million from 2018 to 2020 for the free primary school education programme,” he said.
The county commissioner was speaking Thursday at the Makueni Boys’ when he unveiled a new dormitory wing.
The administrator lauded the school management for the new facility saying it was in line with the government’s policy to create social distancing among learners and curb the spread of covid-19.
“Many schools are not able to achieve social distancing due to limited infrastructure, this is very commendable and other schools should emulate,” said Maalim.
The 96- bed capacity dormitory was built at a cost of Sh 9.4 million through the Parents Association.
He urged school heads to ensure that learners together with teachers and non- teaching staff adhere to the government guidelines on covid-19.
“Schools should have enough washing stations, maintain social distancing and have thermos guns to check the learners’ temperatures,” said the county commissioner.
On school fires and unrest, Maalim expressed his concern over the rising number of arsons across the country and urged learners to desist from such destructive behaviour.
The administrator said only two schools in Makueni had been affected.
A dormitory housing 82 students in AIC Mwaani Secondary School in Kilungu Sub County was reduced to ashes while a cubicle in Kikumini Secondary School in Nzaui Sub County with a bed capacity of 36 was burnt in a suspected arson attack.
“In AIC Mwaani preliminary investigations attributed the fire to an electric fault, however we cannot rule out foul play. We have asked the DCI to carry out investigations in the other school fire,” he said.
The county commissioner also asked schools’ administration to embrace dialogue when resolving student grievances and urged parents not to abdicate their responsibility of mentoring children.
“Some of these arsons seem to be well coordinated because they happen when students are in class,” noted Maalim.
by Roselyne Kavoo
