Relief has swept through the Mang’u community after hundreds of learners from the recently demolished St. Francis Primary School in Kiambu County were successfully absorbed into neighboring public schools, averting what many feared would become a major education crisis in Gatundu North Constituency.
This followed after the school was demolished to pave way for the construction of Gatundu North’s first-ever technical institute, a move that initially triggered anxiety and protests from parents who were concerned about disruption to their children’s learning.
However, a coordinated relocation plan has since seen learners smoothly integrated into Mang’u, Kawira, Karure, and Mwea primary schools.
Mang’u Primary School received the highest number of displaced pupils, enrolling 258 learners. Headteachers at the host institutions reported that despite the sudden increase in student numbers, learning activities have continued with minimal disruption, thanks to cooperation among teachers, parents, and education officials.
For many parents, the successful relocation has brought immense relief.
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“We were terrified when the buildings came down. Our biggest fear was that our children would lose an entire term or be forced to walk impossible distances,” said one parent during the relocation exercise. “Seeing them settled in class today has restored our hope.”
Area Member of Parliament Elijah Njoroge Kururia, who toured Mang’u and Karure primary schools to assess the situation, issued a formal apology to parents for the distress caused by the abrupt demolition. The MP, who also sits on the National Assembly’s Education Committee, assured the community that measures were being taken to ensure no learner is disadvantaged.
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To manage the increased enrollment, Kururia pledged immediate infrastructure support to the host schools. His office committed to funding the construction of additional classrooms to ease congestion, expanding sanitation facilities to meet health standards, and upgrading school kitchens to support the provision of hot meals for learners.
He further reassured parents that no transfer fees or additional levies would be charged to affected pupils, easing the financial burden on families already grappling with the sudden changes.
While acknowledging the disruption caused, the MP defended the project as a long-term investment in the constituency’s development, noting that Gatundu North has for years lacked adequate vocational and technical training facilities.
“I urge the community to work together as we advance these development projects,” Kururia said. “As we build for the future through the new technical institute, we are equally committed to ensuring that the education of our primary school children remains uninterrupted.”
Touching on broader national education issues, the legislator also assured parents that government capitation funds had already been released to schools, reiterating the directive that no learner should be sent home over school fees.
However, the demolition has continued to attract criticism from county leaders, particularly over its impact on Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) learners. Speaking at the Kiambu County Government headquarters during the distribution of learning materials to 512 ECDE centres, Kiambu County Assembly Majority Leader Geoffrey Muceke condemned the destruction of an already established ECDE centre in the area.
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Muceke called on the judiciary to fast-track a case lodged against the Gatundu South legislator, demanding accountability and compensation for the demolished ECDE facility.
“We will continue to condemn the action of demolishing an already built ECDE centre. Eighty-six learners still do not know where they will report to learn up to now,” Muceke said. “We are calling upon the judiciary to fast-track our case. Those damages must be paid—there is no two ways about it.”
He added that even if justice delays, he believes divine justice will prevail on behalf of the affected learners.
Kiambu County Executive Committee Member for Education Dr. Mercy Njagi also faulted the demolition, describing it as a disservice to young learners. She noted that children from Mang’u are now forced to walk more than three kilometres to access alternative ECDE centres in Gatundu South.
“The county government is committed to bringing ECDE centres closer to the people,” Dr. Njagi said. “The demolition has subjected learners to long and unsafe distances, undermining access to early childhood education.”
As the dust settles at the former St. Francis Primary School site, attention is now turning to the construction of the proposed technical institute, which leaders say will play a key role in youth empowerment and skills development in Gatundu North. At the same time, stakeholders continue to call for balanced development that safeguards uninterrupted access to education at all levels.
By Felix Wanderi
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