• Shabir said the proposed school, to be named Kunya Shakeel Secondary School, in Kolwa Central ward, is expected to be operational early next year.
• The complex has 16 rooms and will accommodate boys who have been learning at Kibos Mixed Secondary School.
Image: MAURICE ALAL
The Sh35 million Kisumu East constituency complex will be converted into a secondary school.
The National Government Constituency Development Fund project has the offices of MP Shakeel Shabir and staff.
Shabir said the proposed school, to be named Kunya Shakeel Secondary School, in Kolwa Central ward, is expected to be operational early next year.
The complex has 16 rooms and will accommodate boys who have been learning at Kibos Mixed Secondary School.
“It has been suggested that NG-CDF Kisumu East hands over the three-storey building comprising 16 spacious rooms with adequate additional facilities for the housing of the Kunya Shakeel Secondary School," he said.
Kibos secondary will then be turned into a girls boarding school.
Shabir said there are plans to rename Kibos secondary to Mama Ida Odinga Girls School Kibos.
The legislator said the offices will pave the way for a secondary school next to Kunya Primary School.
"We are ready to work from anywhere. We can build another office," Shabir said.
In an interview at his office on Monday, the former Kisumu mayor said the two schools will share a playing field.
Shabir, who is serving his third term, said Kibos secondary will be the first girls school in Kisumu East.
During Mashujaa Day celebrations in Kirinyaga county, President Uhuru Kenyatta said the government would ensure 10,000 additional classrooms are built in schools across the country to accommodate the increased number of students.
Uhuru said in the academic year 2022-23 there will be a double intake occasioned by the transition from primary school to junior secondary, hence the additional burden on infrastructure.
Shabir said the President appealed to MPs across the country to dedicate resources towards the construction of more classrooms through the CDF.
“It is in this spirit that we have proposed that the CDF complex be converted to a fully fledged school. Further, we have received great community demand to build a suitable secondary school in Kunya where there is great need for such an institution,” he said.
Shabir said Kibos secondary, which was a joint economic stimulus programme and an NG-CDF Kisumu East project, was originally envisaged to be a girl’s boarding school in the constituency despite the fact that there is great demand.
He said Kisumu East has in the past couple of years developed Kibos secondary facilities.
The MP said they have constructed a dining hall, a 200-bed dormitory and two staff houses at a cost of Sh35 million. Construction is complete waiting for the handing over.
The school has also benefited from 10 pieces of water tanks, each with a capacity of 5,000 litres.
The lawmaker said they will require minor adjustments to allow for three classrooms, two laboratories, one staffroom, head teachers offices and administration offices.
The building, he said, has all the required facilities that may be demanded of a secondary school of national status.
Shabir said the land title, which is under the NG-CDF, can be transferred to the Treasury through the Ministry of Education to Kunya secondary management.
The proposals have been forwarded to the Ministry of Education and copied to Kisumu county director of education Isaac Atebe.
He also announced that the CDF committee has allocated Sh10 million for university students bursaries from the constituency.
“The application forms are ready, and we are waiting for them to come for the holidays and apply to help us fast-track distribution,” Shabir said.
Edited by A.N
Image: MAURICE ALAL