Ruto says 11,000 Grade Nine classrooms to be ready by December

President William Ruto addresses the Second Ministerial Meeting of the Task Force on the School Meals Coalition in Nairobi, on October 29, 2024. [PCS]

The government plans to complete 11,000 classrooms by December in readiness for the transition of learners from Grade 8 to Grade 9 in January.

President William Ruto said that the government is in the final stages of constructing Junior Secondary School (JSS) classrooms.

“As we move to Grade 9, we have not only finalized the process of building an extra 11,000 classrooms, I have also asked our members of parliament to build an extra 6,000 classrooms so that next year we are ready to ensure every child is going to Grade 9,” the President said.

He spoke during the ministerial meeting on global school meals in Nairobi on Tuesday, which seeks to address sustainable financing and facilitation of school meals.

The Standard has established that the government has so far completed the construction of 3,500 classrooms. 

Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang said that the construction of 7,500 classrooms is ongoing and will be complete by December.

“About two weeks ago, the Treasury released funding for construction of the 7,500 classes which currently are between 22 per cent and 68 per cent complete… I am sure that by December we will have the 11,000 classes in place,” Dr Kipsang told The Standard on phone.

A nationwide assessment conducted by the Ministry of Education revealed a shortfall of over 16,000 classrooms.

In a presentation before the National Assembly committee on Education, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said the classes will be constructed in two phases.

The first phase would see 3,500 classes at a cost of Sh3.5 billion  constructed and the second phase 7,500 classes at the cost of Sh7.5 billion.

An additional extra 6,000 classrooms would be constructed by MPs under the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF).

PS Kipsang said that Sh3.4 billion have already been released to the legislators for the project.

“For the CDF classes, MPs have also made some significant progress and the construction is also at various levels of construction with some beginning the construction as they await the funds,” the PS said.

While appearing before Parliament, CS Ogamba indicated that head teachers will be required to purchase the desks and chairs for the ninth graders using part of the capitation.

“Every public junior school with learners on NEMIS gets Sh15,043 per learner per year. There is a vote head on repairs and improvement of school infrastructure, which is currently Sh4,000 per learner per year. The Ministry has directed that the money under this vote head for this term be strictly used for the provision of desks and chairs for Grade 9 learners,” the CS said.