Kakamega, Nakuru to get lion share of new CBC classrooms
Kakamega, Nakuru and Bungoma counties will have the highest number of new classrooms to be constructed to enable smooth transition of Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) pioneer class to junior secondary.
According to a schedule released by the Education ministry, Kakamega county will get 597 new classrooms spread across 353 secondary schools.
In total, the government intends to build 11,600 new classrooms in the first phase of CBC implementation plan to enable students transit to junior secondary.
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Nakuru county has the second highest allocation of 541 classrooms spread across 322 schools while Bungoma county will have some 497 classrooms constructed in 307 schools.
Meru county is fourth with 456 new classrooms set to be put up in 329 schools followed by Kitui county which will have 444 new classrooms put up in 379 schools.
Makueni county will get an additional 437 new classrooms put up in 324 schools while Kiambu and Murang’a counties will get 435 new classrooms each spread across the 254 and 288 schools respectively.
Other counties with a high number of new classrooms are Kisii (424), Machakos (418), Homa Bay (412), Migori (364), Trans Nzoia (350), Siaya (338), Kisumu (326), Nandi (312) and Kericho (308).
The remaining counties will get less than 300 classrooms.
The lowest number of classrooms will be constructed in Isiolo (31), Lamu (32), Tana River (33), Marsabit (38), Garissa (42), Samburu (45) Mandera (65), Turkana (66) while Wajir will get 72.
In total, some 7,704 secondary schools are set to benefit in the first phase of the programme, according to the schedule.
Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha has said schools with surplus classrooms will not benefit from the programme.
He said the government had completed the process of identifying schools where the additional classrooms will be constructed and lists sent to sub-counties.
The selection of the schools was informed by a GIS mapping of all secondary schools, which was conducted in order to establish the location, number of classrooms in each school and classrooms under construction.
“This was followed by a physical verification of the existing classroom capacities in all secondary schools across the country,” the CS explained, while giving the status of phase one construction project.
After establishing the existing classroom capacities, the CS said, an analysis was conducted that led to the identification of the secondary schools with deficit, adequate and surplus classrooms.
Curriculum reforms
The schools to benefit from this programme were selected based on three criteria namely classroom deficits identified based on needs of secondary schools against the enrolled learners arising out of the implementation of the 100 per cent transition policy and classroom deficits identified based on needs of all secondary schools to accommodate junior secondary school learners in January 2023.
The third criteria was based on recommendations of the taskforce on enhancing access, relevance, transition, equity and quality for effective curriculum reforms implementation.
This includes the recommendation for the establishment of junior secondary school in the existing secondary schools.
According to Magoha, local contractors around the targeted secondary schools have been asked to register with the Deputy County Commissioners of their respective sub counties.
Sub-County Directors of Education have been directed to work with Deputy County Commissioners to ensure the registration process is conducted seamlessly.
The registration exercise will close today.
“I urge all local contractors around the targeted secondary schools to take this opportunity to register before the set deadline. Chiefs are also directed to sensitise contractors within their jurisdiction to register in good time,” said the CS.
The CS said the registration is free of charge and that no local contractor should be asked to pay any fee or demonstrate their financial capabilities to handle the assignment.
As of November 4, the CS said only 21 counties had made positive returns to the Multi-Agency Implementation Committee on the status of the registration for local contractors around the targeted schools.
