Irony of well-equipped Embu junior secondary school with no students
A teacher at St Mark's Kigari model primary school shows the computer laboratories at the institution on January 30, 2023.
As many students in Junior Secondary Schools in the country grapple with inadequate space and facilities, a well endowed public institution in Embu County, is struggling to find learners.
St Mark’s Kigari model primary school was targeting at least 200 students in its JSS programme, but only received 12 students during the first week of CBC kickoff.
The institution’s chairman of the academic board Martin Ng'ang'a said they had set aside 28 classrooms for the students, but only one has since been occupied.
“We had employed adequate teachers, set aside home science, music and art and craft rooms, together with various laboratories in anticipation of the rollout, but the numbers were still low,” he said.
Most of the classrooms used to host P1 trainee teachers but the student population has dipped following scrapping of the course, with teacher training institutions receiving fewer diploma teacher trainees.
However, learning at the junior secondary section has kicked off in earnest, with the learners enjoying state of art facilities and services.
The students receive tea and slices of bread during break time and a sumptuous balanced diet lunch prepared by a cateress.
Mr Ng’ang’a said despite the low students’ population, the institution was focused on developing students who excelled in sports and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
St Mark's Kigari model primary school learners in Embu county on January 30, 2023. The school admitted 12 junior secondary school students against a capacity of 120.
The institution, which serves as the training ground for the World Cross Country Team Kenya has a gymnasium and an expansive field to train racquet and ball games.
“We will have the best class in the country. We believe that by the 10th year, we are going to have very a competent class that can move to STEM. We have enough professional teachers to deal with pre-tech,” he said.
The institution also has an expansive farm where students learn basic agriculture.
Mr Ng’ang’a said most of the students who had enrolled at the institution came from near the school.
He encouraged learners from as far as Embu, Runyenjes and Kianjokoma towns to enroll at the institution to enjoy some of its best facilities.
