The National Government has allocated over Sh470 million to Kakamega County towards construction of 597 classrooms under the Competence Based Curriculum (CBC) infrastructural development.
The new classrooms are expected to ensure a 100 percent transition of learners from primary to junior secondary by mid next year.
Speaking to KNA after the Kakamega County Commissioner, Mrs Pauline Dolla, launched the CBC County Implementation and Coordination Committee, County Director of Education, Mr Dixon Ogonya, said the classrooms will be established in 353 out of 420 selected public secondary schools.
According to specifications issued by the Ministry of Education, the cost of putting up each classroom has been pegged at Sh788, 000 and that the work must be given to prequalified local contractors as part of the government’s economic stimulus package.
Mr Ogonya said work was expected to commence before the end of this month and be completed by March next year in order not to interfere with Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations.
“The selected schools have been allocated between one to five classrooms, with Kakamega High School having the highest number of five classrooms,” he said.
The County Commissioner urged local contractors to submit their bids for the construction works, saying that only those with capacity to deliver will be considered.
Dolla said the bids must be within the funds allocated per classroom, adding that there will be no variations in the sum quoted by the Ministry of Education.
Nationally, the government will construct 11,600 new classrooms to ensure smooth transition of pupils to junior secondary by mid next year.
Heads of Departments involved in the exercise include those from Interior, Education, Teachers Service Commission (TSC), Public works, Procurement and National Treasury.
By George Kaiga
