By Andanje Wakhungu
The Ministry of Education is committed to ensuring that the first phase of CBC classroom construction is completed in time before the commencement of second phase that will see at least 6,000 classes put up in schools countrywide.
The Western Regional Director of Education Stephen Barongo, while launching the fifth class in Kakamega North Sub-county’s Friends Tumbeni Secondary, said it was important for all the education stakeholders to close ranks and ensure that their schools are CBC-compliant to enable learners have a conducive learning environment.
The director lauded the good work of the contractor whom he hailed for finishing the project on time and urged the relevant authorities to pay him for the good work.
“I acknowledge the good work this contractor has done having followed laid down design where the classes are raised from the ground to the wall plate and this is the template to be used to put up all the CBC classes,” he said.
He further called on the collaboration of both the county and national governments in ensuring that schools have enough infrastructure with those with limited land to opt putting up storey buildings instead.
The Kakamega North Sub-county Director of Education Rose Chisumi confirmed that already the sub-county had launched four new CBC classes out of the thirty allocated to various schools.
“Our sub-county was allocated 30 classes out of which 6 are complete, 5 including this one handed over, 9 are almost complete, 7 at the roofing and 3 at the walling stages. The sub-county CBC Implementation Committee is committed to ensuring that all the projects are completed in time, Chisumi said.
The management of Friends Tumbeni Secondary hailed the ministry for the construction and completion of the class as a pilot for their junior secondary education.
Speaking during the official opening of the class, the school Board of Management Chair Ayub Shapaya Masayi expressed his gratitude to the ministry for what he termed as a good start in ensuring that junior education commences without fail.
The chairman lauded the government for considering their school among the pilots, vowing to do their best to ensure students make full use of the facility.
“Our school is still young and with this class we will be able enroll more students that will see us grow and be able to compete effectively with other schools within,” he said.
The Tumbeni Sub-location Senior Assistant Chief Thomas Maikuva, who is among the founders of the school, was recognized for standing firm to establish the school despite the many challenges.
“This school was started in 2014 under the foundation of our able administrator who together with the community think-tanks saw it fit to start an institution of learning as one way of eradicating illiteracy within the locality,” he observed.
The first principal Nancy Webo, who joined the school on May 14, 2014, was instrumental in steering it to prosperity despite its limited facilities. The first Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education was done in 2017 where it recorded two C plain, after which it managed to send two students to university who scored C+ in 2018. Later in 2020, there were 2 more direct entries of B+ and C+.
“We are destined to grow even bigger as we appeal to TSC to consider adding us 9 more teachers since we only have 9 and yet we are a two stream school,” she said.
The principal also hailed the area MP Malulu Injendi for sponsoring the construction of six of the eight classes through the CDF.
