State to construct 2,200 Grade Nine classrooms in Western

A closed Junior Secondary School (JSS) classroom at Ulowa Girls Secondary School in West Yimbo, Bondo sub-county. [Isaiah Gwengi, Standard]

The government has launched the construction of 2,200 Grade Nine classrooms for the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) at a cost of Sh2.2 billion in Western.

Speaking at Kakamega Primary School during the groundbreaking, Western region Education Director Jared Obiero told the contractors that they have a strict four-month deadline to complete the project.

"We have been a bit behind due to issues of procurement and tendering as opposed to other regions but the good thing is that the government has already released money for the construction," said Obiero.

"We are therefore telling the contractor to move with speed because these classrooms are required to be complete by the end of this year so that our learners can use them in January next year," he added.

The Western Region Education Director warned that they will not hesitate to terminate the contract if the contractor moves at a slow pace.

"We are racing against time and we have told the contractor that there is money already in school accounts and if they move at a slow pace we are going to chase them away," he said.

"The government has done gracious work by sending the money directly to school accounts and the board of management will manage the money, our work as education officials is to supervise and see the progress of the projects and we expect good and quality work," he added.

Obiero noted that each classroom will cost Sh1 million and Sh10,000 for safeguard measures.

"It is Sh1 million per classroom and the region has the highest number of classes and we thank the government for releasing all the money and ensuring that the transition of CBC is realised," he said.

He said 82 classrooms will be constructed in Phase One and 420 in Phase Two in Kakamega county.

The Western Region Education Director thanked the procurement team for selecting local contractors.

"I am glad that we have local contractors and if we are going to construct 2,200 classes across the region and the money remains in the region then it is going to impact positively on our economy," he said.

Kakamega Primary School has been allocated the highest number of classrooms at 12.

The school headteacher Dickson Wanyangu welcomed the project saying that it is a relief for Grade Nine learners.

"We are happy because these classrooms are going to help our 600 learners who are in Grade Nine so that we can have a smooth transition of the CBC," said Wanyangu.