Schools within Juja sub-county, Kiambu County will get a face-lift following the launch of a programme meant to upgrade learning institutions in the constituency aimed at improving education standards.
MP George Koimburi divulged that the area National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) has allocated the lion’s share (Sh 80 million) of the kitty towards improving public schools with the aim of boosting academic performance.
Some of the projects set to be undertaken include the construction and renovation of classrooms, the construction of new laboratories and the installation of ablution blocks in schools.
Classrooms are being constructed at Karia-ini and Thome primary schools and Juja secondary schools, 24 classrooms will be renovated at Rurii, Athi, Nyacaba and Gachororo primary schools.
Laboratories are being constructed at Ndururumo, Kalimoni and Murera primary schools as well as St Paul and Bob Harris Karamaini secondary schools.
Speaking at Karamaini Secondary School in Witeithie ward on Tuesday while launching construction of a Sh 5.6 million laboratory, Koimburi expressed his shock over the deplorable state of public schools in the area, noting that the dilapidated state of the public institutions largely contributed to truancy and undesirable results in the national examinations.
“Some of the institutions lack the very basic infrastructure like classrooms and sanitary facilities. This is the reason why our students are performing poorly because the environment they’ve been subjected to is totally unfriendly,” Koimburi noted.
The MP averred that some of the institutions will require complete infrastructural overhaul adding that his team is up to the task to give the institutions a new face with the aim of boosting the learners’ and teachers’ morale for improved academic results.
“We have instructed the contractors to ensure that the projects are done within two months while adhering to quality. We want our learners and teachers to have a conducive environment to learn and work from as we seek to perk up academic performance which has been wanting for years,” Koimburi said.
The MP pointed out that the student population in schools within the constituency has been on the rise as the government fully implements the 100 per cent transition and hence the need for more facilities to effectively accommodate them.
At Karamaini secondary school, Koimburi said that the student population has grown from 6 to 300 in the last three years since the school was initiated, noting that the institution is in dire need of more facilities.
“We are currently constructing a laboratory which is vital in the students’ studies and we will add more classrooms because we anticipate there will be more learners joining next year. Again, we are appealing to the government through the Ministry of Education to post teachers in this school because we have a huge deficit and the ones available are paid by parents,” Koimburi said.
The school Principal John Wainaina while welcoming the project said that lack of a laboratory has been the reason why students have been performing dismally in science subjects.
“We have been using laboratory facilities from a nearby private school but we are glad that we will now have ours and we expect our students to shine in science subjects. Again parents have been moving their children from this school due to lack of such facilities but we now hope to even get more students come next year,” Wainaina said.
At the same time, the lawmaker said that Juja candidates who will attain 400 marks in the forthcoming KCPE examinations will get slots to join Mang’u High School, the only national boarding school located within the constituency.
For years area leaders have been crying foul of being shortchanged during form one selection and placement claiming that Juja candidates rarely get slots at Mang’u high school.
“This time our boys will join Mang’u and the NG-CDF will offer them full sponsorship,” he said.
Parents led by Philomena Njambi hailed the projects saying that they will play a pivotal role in improving the academic performance of their children.
By Kamau Njoroge
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