•He pointed out that private schools play a key role in the implementation of the CBC and urged them to invest more in infrastructure.
•"We are appealing to the politicians to keep off CBC as it is here to stay," Magoha said.
Image: MAURICE ALAL
Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha has lauded the private schools in the country for their commitment to the construction of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) classrooms.
While inspecting classrooms at Mudasa Academy and Golden Elites Kisumu, Magoha said 1,200 classrooms have so far been constructed by private schools nationally.
He pointed out that private schools play a key role in implementation of the CBC and urged them to invest more in infrastructure.
Magoha said according to Kenya Private Schools Association national chairman Charles Ochome, they plan to construct 5,000 more classrooms by July out of their targeted 10,000 by end of the year.
At Golden Elites schools, an ultramodern four-storied junior secondary school with eight classrooms has been constructed.
Ochome, who is also the Golden Elites schools director, said plans are underway to construct two more buildings in the school, located less than 2 kilometres from the Kisumu International Airport.
In Mudasa Academy, the construction of ultramodern classrooms is ongoing.
Director George Mudanyi said they are prepared for CBC implementation.
He said they are constructing four-storied classrooms comprised of 30 classrooms, four laboratories, a library, a hall and indoor games facility for the junior secondary at the Mudasa Academy.
Magoha praised the schools for their commitment to education.
He noted that most of the children who prefer private schools will now have the opportunity to go to private schools for their junior secondary education.
"Instead of giving us pressure at the top schools, we would want the private sector to develop stand-alone junior high just like this one at Golden Elites and Mudasa Academy," Magoha said.
The CS added that the government will continue to facilitate and ensure the CBC classrooms are constructed as quickly as possible.
"We want to assure the private schools association that the government is ready and willing to work with them to ensure we achieve the set target," he added.
On public schools, Magoha noted that they have done extremely well and are at 98 per cent completion of the required classrooms.
He said the government is set to roll out the second phase of construction of CBC classrooms in public schools possibly by next week.
Magoha noted that by end of August, as directed by President Uhuru Kenyatta, they will have completed the construction of 10,000 CBC classrooms countrywide.
"We have done the 6,497 in the first phase and the second phase, we will complete about 3,500 classrooms," he said.
Magoha said the Grade six examination are ready and they will give more details on pupils' transitions.
"We are appealing to the politicians to keep off CBC as it is here to stay," Magoha said.