St Francis Metembe Senior School in Kisii gets two modern classrooms through NG-CDF

Bomachoge Borabu NG-CDF office on Saturday handed over two modern classrooms it constructed for St Francis Metembe Senior School in Kenyenya Sub-county, Kisii County.

The handover came after sustained calls from residents who had been urging the MP's office to complete development projects that had stalled since he took over from former MP Prof Zadoc Ogutu. Residents had accused current MP Obadiah Barongo of dragging his feet on ongoing projects, including the handover of classrooms at Nyakorore and Mokomoni SDA Secondary Schools, as well as the Kenyenya-Riokindo road, which has remained in a deplorable state.

Speaking during the handover ceremony at St Francis Metembe, Barongo defended his development record but blamed the national government for sidelining him in development matters because he does not support it. "I even tried to change my name to Arap Koech for President Ruto to complete the Kenyenya road for us, but my pleas fell on deaf ears, and I called it quits," he said.

The MP said his office spent more than Sh15 million to complete the two classrooms to ease congestion among learners, and asked parents to appreciate the gesture. The school's principal, Evans Onchweri, thanked the NG-CDF office, saying the classrooms would complement the availability of water that had previously been missing at the school, a problem solved through the drilling of a borehole supported by the same fund last year. "Water and space are now in abundant supply. We are going to press further on other things like academic excellence and consistent student enrolment," he said.

The Catholic-sponsored school has struggled with growth for years. It was started in the early 2000s by former Chief Sothel Mandere, who donated part of his family land and mobilised the local Catholic community under St Francis Catholic Parish Metembe to establish a mixed day secondary school and curb the long distances children were walking to Kenyenya and Magena secondary schools.

For many years, the school grappled with low enrolment of fewer than 100 students, lack of water, understaffing and poor performance until former MP Prof Zadoc Ogutu stepped in. Prof Ogutu made frequent personal visits to encourage teachers and students, lobbied for TSC teachers, and allocated NG-CDF funds for an administration block and a laboratory, developments that helped the school emerge as one of the better-performing institutions in Kenyenya Sub-county.

The school currently has an enrolment of 312 students and last year posted a mean score of 4.8 in KCSE, with 12 students attaining direct university entry. Parents present at the ceremony welcomed the new classrooms but urged the MP to fast-track the completion of other stalled projects to restore confidence.