Nairobi Regional Commissioner (RC) Katee Mwanza has called upon Deputy County Commissioners in Nairobi region to mop up all school going children who have not enrolled in schools.
The RC said Nairobi city has the highest number of children who are out of school, whereas the government has put in place public schools in the city’s 17 constituencies to ensure 100 percent transition.
He said most of the children who were out school are from the informal settlements and told the Deputy County Commissioners to use elders, nyumba kumi leaders and Assistant Chiefs to mop them up, noting that their enrolment in public schools would curb breeding grounds for criminals in the informal settlements and address the challenge of children going to Apbet schools where there is no serious learning.
Mwanza noted that through education, the children would gain knowledge that would make them innovative.
“We call on parents to enroll their children in Early Childhood Development classes instead of engaging them in hawking groundnuts,” he added.
The RC said President William Ruto’s commitment to ensure that Nairobi has adequate learning facilities has seen the government provide a total of Sh1billion in the financial year 2024/2025 for the construction of classrooms in 17 constituencies through the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) so that children within the city could access schools.
“The President wants to address the feeding programme in public schools to enable children who do not have food at home to have meals in school and to get proper education,” he said, adding that the programme would upscale enrolment and retain children in schools.
Other school projects being undertaken in the County through the Presidential directive include the construction of dormitories at Jamhuri High School to accommodate a capacity of 400 students, 21 classrooms and science laboratories at State House Girls High School and construction of 12 classrooms and dormitories to accommodate 1,080 students at Nairobi School.
The RC was speaking during the Nairobi National Government Regional/County Implementation Coordination and Management Committee meeting held at the Regional Commissioner’s Boardroom at Nyayo House that was attended by the Nairobi County Commissioner David Wanyonyi, Government Delivery Unit Director, Jonah Orumoi, Regional and County Departmental Heads.
On development projects and programmes, Mwanza directed Deputy County Commissioners, Regional and County Heads to be supervising the national government projects in their areas of jurisdiction to ensure those contracted are doing the right thing for quality results.
“You should occasionally engage with the public in barazas to communicate to them the projects you are implementing and to listen to the challenges they face,” he said.
Some of the projects and programmes being initiated by the government include infrastructure, promotion of health, agriculture, small medium enterprises, ICT, sporting activities and education among others.
The RC also stressed the importance of presenting monthly reports on ongoing national government funded programmes, projects and Presidential directives to the committee.
He said the government is determined to complete all its projects within the stipulated time to enable Kenyans enjoy the facilities.
“These reports will enable the committee to fast-track and resolve all bottlenecks of the ongoing national government projects that are delaying their completion and to forestall misinformation peddled in public regarding them,” he added.
In his remarks, the Government Delivery Unit Director Jonah Orumoi said the Government Delivery Unit is closely monitoring, evaluating and supervising national government projects and progranmes and Presidential directives among them the NG-CDF classrooms for the Junior Secondary School in the 17 constituencies which have received government funding for the financial year 2024/ 2025.
“The Government Delivery Unit is monitoring road constructions within the County being undertaken by Kenya Urban Roads Authority and Kenya National Highways Authority, the affordable housing project and the Nyayo Stadium and Talanta Stadium.
He announced that the infrastructure sub-committee would soon visit various sites within the city to check on the progress of the ongoing projects.
By Bernadette Khaduli
