Parents and learners in Githurai 45 are all smiles following the commissioning of a new public primary school.
Manguo Primary School in Kiuu ward, Ruiru, was constructed by the national government in collaboration with the NG-CDF and has already enrolled 300 pupils.
The three-acre school is meant to decongest Mwiki and Kwa Ng’ethe primary schools within the Githurai area, according to Ruiru MP Simon King’ara.
“This project is a reprieve for parents and children in this highly populated area who have been trekking for many kilometres to other schools nearby,” King’ara said on Monday while opening the school.
He said schools in the area, especially Mwiki, are highly congested and still grappling with a shortage of infrastructure to effectively accommodate learners.
He said Mwiki has less than an acre but has more than 3,500 pupils and 72 teachers.
“The school is overstretched to a point where a single classroom accommodates 130 learners and this is against the Ministry of Education guidelines that require one classroom to accommodate 40 pupils. This new school will bring an end to the congestion at Mwiki Primary,” he said.
King’ara said plans to expand the school by adding more classrooms and lavatories are underway so that they can enrol more than 1,500 learners.
“We want to give our children and teachers an environment conducive to learning and working, as well as ensuring we improve education status in Ruiru constituency.”
The lawmaker noted that Manguo is among five new schools that have been constructed by the government in Ruiru. Others are Mutuya, which was opened last month; Mutonya; Gikumari; and Mwalimu Farm.
He also called on corporates within the subcounty to support such initiatives to improve education.
“We are appealing to them to help us add more classes in our schools to effectively accommodate all learners. This is because the CDF funds allocation is too meagre to cater for all the educational needs of our schools.”
He reiterated his calls to have all public primary schools issued with title deeds to ward off notorious and greedy land-grabbers.
King’ara noted with concern that lack of ownership documents has created a leeway for grabbers, who use fraudulent means to process documents and encroach on school parcels.
“Land parcels belonging to schools meant for the expansion of the institutions are in the hands of corrupt individuals. My bill will ensure all title deeds processed for public land are revoked and the parcels given back to the institutions,” he said.
“We must protect all public spaces because we wouldn’t have the new school if we had given land-grabbers a field day.”
Parents expressed their delight, saying the new project is a godsend and noting that the new school has given the Manguo area a new face.
“This place was notorious for chang’aa brewing and all sorts of crimes, but we are happy that the vices have been wiped out by the authorities. We are happy that a school has been put up to enable our children to access education with ease,” Francis Nderitu said.
Mercy Wanjiku said the new school will end the agony their children have endured for many years trekking over five kilometres to access education.
“Our children have been suffering a lot, especially during rainy seasons as this place is prone to floods and is rendered inaccessible. The suffering will now be a thing of the past,” she said.
