The ongoing construction of a Grade 9 classroom at Kapsotet Primary School in Kuresoi South, Nakuru County on November 08, 2024.
As the country prepares for the transition of the pioneer Competency Based Curriculum to Grade 9, concerns about the readiness of schools linger, particularly with the lack of adequate infrastructure and learning materials.
Despite the Ministry of Education expressing confidence, the situation remains uncertain for the 1.5 million students.
While the government has assured parents that Grade 8 learners will smoothly transition to Grade 9, some schools are grappling with severe shortages of desks, classrooms, and books. Some headteachers have requested that parents contribute financially towards the construction of classrooms, ahead of the reopening starting tomorrow.
“I received a letter from my daughter’s school asking us (parents) to donate money for the construction of the Grade 9 classrooms. It is not fair, basic education ought to be free and compulsory,” said a parent from Ganjoni Primary School in Mombasa of the letter seen by Nation.
She asked not to be named for fear of victimisation by the school administration.
In the letter, the school asked parents to raise over Sh13.2 million for the construction of four classrooms despite the Sh4 million allocation from the Kenya Primary Education Equity in Learning programme.
“The total cost of construction has shot up to Sh17.2 million. The purpose of this letter is to asking all parents to pay the development fund for 2025 so as to add up and use the money,” reads the letter which beseeches parents to treat the matter with “utmost urgency”.
However, the Ministry of Education has downplayed the concerns, assuring parents that Grade 8 learners will transit smoothly to Grade 9 as schools reopen.
Basic Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang said the State has so far built 13,200 classrooms and recruited 20,000 intern teachers in readiness for the transition.
“Our biggest challenge is that previously our primary schools were accommodating eight cohorts from Class One up to 8, but now with domiciling Junior School in primary schools means there will be an extra class which is Grade 9,” said the PS.
On Wednesday, he toured the Coast region and meet with senior education officials in readiness for schools reopening.
Dr Kipsang toured different public schools, to inspect the construction of Grade 9 classrooms.
Dr Kipsang said of the 13,200 new classroom, construction of 10,100 had been financed using National Government-Constituency Development funds.
The PS added said the State had moved fast to address concerns about textbooks.
“When you are doing a new thing , there will always be teething issues. All the 9.9 million Grade 9 books have been printed and distribution ongoing, 85 percent of the schools have received their books,” said the PS.
“But by the weekend they will all receive books in readiness for Monday,” added the PS.
On teachers, Dr Kipsang said the 20,000 new recruits would ease the burden on the 46,000 intern teachers who were converted to permanent and pensionable last year.
“We already had some 10,000 teachers, so as we speak we have more than 80,000 teachers in our Junior Schools to be able to take care of our children. However, we are aware what we require is more than 140,000 but as we progress we shall ensure all the required numbers are available,” said the PS.
