Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha has dismissed Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o’s plans to relocate the schools within the lakeside city’s Central Business District.
Prof Magoha said that Kisumu Boys and the neighbouring Kisumu Girls are safe where they are.
“Do not scare my children. Every child in any Kenyan school is as safe as those in any other institutions,” said Prof Magoha at Kisumu Girls High School on Saturday.
The CS said that his office had not been approached with the proposal to relocate institutions from Kisumu CBD.
“If by any chance the relocation issue will be tabled before me, it will be taken through public participation for the interested parties to decide,” he said.
“I have been busy making sure that my children and grandchildren are admitted to Form One peacefully and I have no time to discuss such issues (relocation of schools,” he said.
“If you want to relocate the schools, you will have to ask the people there,” he quipped.
The debate came to the fore when the Kisumu governor said that Kisumu Boys and Kisumu Girls, which sit on prime land in the city, are of no economic value.
The governor said that the schools should be relocated to Chiga in Kisumu East Sub County to pave the way for expansion of the city.
“Considering the value of the place, that land needs to be useful. We need to construct an integrated urban centre rather than schools,” said the governor,” adding that the city is commercial oriented and need to be run as a profit making entity.
According to Prof Nyong’o, the schools, among other institutions within Kisumu CBD, add no economic value despite sitting on prime land.
Apart from the two institutions, Prof Nyong’o indicated that other institutions to be affected by the proposed relocation include the Manyatta Arab School, Kisumu County Referral Hospital, the main bus terminus and the Jua Kali market.
The project dubbed “Transforming Kisumu City through enhanced urban aesthetics,” intends to revamp the city’s economy and the services by improving the city’s drainage system, establishing an integrated solid waste management system, provision of green spaces within town and improving public health and sanitation.
Meanwhile, the Education CS also raised concerns over the low Form One admission rates.
He has cautioned parents against transferring their children to other schools, arguing all learning institutions are equal.
The CS said that every student should report to the schools they are admitted to unless under special circumstances like underlying medical issues.
“If you are not happy with where our child has been admitted, take them to the private school and pay fees, stop trying to disturb the government system,” he said.
“I have been assured by the principals that by Monday, all the learners will have reported, failure to which we are going to look for missing learners,” he said.
