Nakuru contractors building classrooms for the Competency Based Curriculum want the government to increase their pay, given harsh economic times.
They now want their pay increased to Sh1.1 million from Sh788,000 per classroom. About half the contractors have pulled out of phase two construction.
The problem is countrywide.
Nakuru contractors on Saturday told the Star the figures quoted by the government are now too low and should be revised upwards.
They said in interviews many contractors have been forced to abandon works, despite contracts.
The first phase of constructing the classes for Sh788,000 each has been completed but the final stage is dragging on.
The contractors now want the price increased to Sh1.1 million per classroom as materials and other costs have increased sharply in the past one year.
They attributed the problem to the high prices of construction inputs like labour, sand, cement, roofing sheets and other materials.
Nakuru Contractors Association chairman Josphat Gichure said some classrooms could not be completed on time.
The association said more than 50 per cent of contractors who were involved in the first phase had pulled out of the second phase.
“We are grateful for the opportunity but we are incurring huge losses, hence, the move to pull out," he said on Saturday.
He said some of the contractors agreed to build a lot of classrooms in the first phase. Due to the economic crisis, however, they have been unable to complete them, "hence the delay," he said.
Nakuru Education director Fredrick Osewe said the issue of cost per classroom had been raised but said the Education ministry was handling the issue.
He said of the 452 classrooms allocated to the county, 216 had been completed in the first phase.
“Currently, construction of 236 classes in the second phase is at an advanced stage," he said.
"We expect them to be ready on time to accommodate students from Grade 6."
More than one million students who will be sitting the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) in November are expected to join junior secondary schools.
The crush of transitioning students necessitates more classrooms. There are more than 10,400 Junior Secondary schools.
(Edited by V. Graham)
