NAKURU, Kenya, Dec 9 – Leaders in Nyandarua County have asked the government through the Department of Basic Education to expedite the construction of extra classes in public primary schools ahead of the re-opening in January 2025.
The leaders observed that many schools in the county and beyond did had not constructed the extra classes despite government promise that the projects were either complete or near completion.
The leaders who included community leaders and parents feared that thousands of learners, especially in poor and marginalised communities might have to study under tents or trees if quick action is not taken.
Kipipiri MP, Wanjiku Muhia observed that the government was not as ready for Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) whose pioneer class is moving to Grade Nine next year as it purported.
Speaking at Wendani Comprehensive School during the groundbreaking ceremony of a new class, the legislator said more than 40 schools in Kipipiri did not have Grade Nine classes adding that the situation was the same countrywide.
“To ensure that no child in Kipipiri suffers due to lack of space and the parents don’t struggle looking for construction funds, we are building Grade Nine classes in all comprehensive schools using National Government Constituency Development Fund (NGCDF),” she said.
CBC is a new school curriculum in the country introduced to replace 8-4-4 system that started with children who joined grade one in 2017.
The curriculum which has three main pathways namely Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Arts and Sports Science and Social Sciences was aimed at shifting education from memorisation to demonstration.
Those children who joined Grade One in 2017 will sit their first national examination in 2025 thus the need to have extra classes to accommodate them in primary school while secondary schools have empty classes as they will not enroll Form ones in 2025.
The MP said she had consulted with parents in her constituency and agreed to re-allocate funds within school kitties for the construction of new classes.
A resident, Mary Wainaina said the initiative by MP Muhia would save children from unnecessary transfers to schools that have the extra classes.
“I was planning to transfer my daughter from Wendani Comprehensive School but that will not be necessary because there will be classes to accommodate Grade Nine,” she said.
Wainaina said her daughter would have been compelled to walk an extra four kilometres to the new school.
Source: capitalfm
