Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) Prof. George Magoha has assured the country that the government is on course to progressively expand the capacities of all secondary schools.
Prof. Magoha in a statement said that the move is aimed at supporting the 100 per cent transition policy and to accommodate more learners in 2023 when the CBC Grade 6 candidates of 2022 will transit to Junior Secondary School.
Prof. Magoha explained that on 20th October, 2021, President Uhuru Kenyatta directed the National Treasury to avail to the Ministry of Education Sh.8 billion for the construction of 10,000 classrooms in secondary schools across all counties in the country. The programme was planned to be implemented in two phases.
“The National Treasury has accordingly availed an initial Sh.4 billion to the Ministry of Education to commence the first phase of the CBC school infrastructure development programme,” said Prof. Magoha.
He said that the Sh.4 billion, in addition to Sh.1.2 billion from the Ministry of Education’s infrastructure fund, will be spent on the construction of 6,500 classrooms in 6,371 secondary schools across the country.
“This programme seeks to address the classroom deficit in our public secondary schools to allow for a smooth transition of CBC Grade 6 learners to Junior Secondary in January 2023,” said Magoha.
The CS said that already, a multi-agency team comprising the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government and other State Agencies have developed a roadmap of implementation of the project.
“The CBC Infrastructure Development Programme is being implemented under the Kenya economic stimulus package, using local contractors within the vicinity of the secondary schools to tap local skills and enhance economic opportunities,” he added.
He highlighted that by November 12, 2021, the contractors had been registered with the Deputy County Commissioners (DCCs) of the respective sub-counties at no cost.
The CS added that following the completion of the registration exercise, the sub county implementation committees will issue notification to local contractors to bid for the construction of the classrooms in schools in their respective sub counties as from 22nd November 2021.
“I urge all stakeholders, including elected leaders, parents, teachers and philanthropists to continue supporting the Government in its commitment to expand the infrastructure in our schools,” said Prof. Magoha.
By Joseph Ng’ang’a
