The Government has assured Kenyans that Grade Nine students would have adequate learning spaces in their respective comprehensive schools next year.
Coast Regional Director of Education Luka Chebet Kangogo said phase one of the construction of standard classrooms in the region where 355 classrooms are being constructed was 98 percent complete and the classrooms would be ready for use by October 15 this year.
“There should be no doubt about whether grade nine will have learning space next year because the government has embarked on the construction of standard classrooms for the current Grade 8 students who will be in Grade Nine next year,” Mr. Kangogo said while on a tour of Malindi Sub-County.
Mr. Kangogo said that the classrooms were being constructed through funding from the Kenya Primary Education and Equity in Learning (KPEEL) project and that 102 of which are being constructed in Kilifi County.
The RDE said this after commissioning four standard classrooms at Baguo, Arabuko Sokoke and Arabuko comprehensive schools.
He was accompanied by Kilifi County Director of Education Veronica Kalungu, Kilifi County Chairman of the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESHA) Emmanuel Kitsao, area Sub County Director of Education Rashid Roba Adan among others.
He said of the 355 classrooms, only two, which are situated in Magarini Sub County, had not started being constructed due to conflicts between the selected schools and the neighbourhood.
“So far, so good in the Coast region. To date, 21 are ready for commissioning. We were as a region allocated 355 classrooms and only two in the whole region have not started being constructed,” he said.
He asked the Kilifi County Commissioner and the Magarini Deputy County Commissioner to liaise with the Ministry of Lands in order to determine the ownership of the schools and quickly resolve the impasse so that the classrooms are completed as scheduled.
“I am asking the County Commissioner to liaise with the Ministry of Lands in order to determine the ownership of the schools so that government programmes of this magnitude may not be held back by officers who are not making decisions, or some interested parties that want to arm-twist public institutions,” he said.
He also asked education stakeholders in Magarini Sub County to prevail upon the two schools on the status of the land so that the government project may not be hindered.
On desks and other facilities, the director said Grade Nine students would use existing facilities as the government strategizes on availing more.
By Emmanuel Masha
