Junior high allocated extra Sh2bn to build classrooms
Education Cabinet Secretary Prof. George Magoha (right) lays a foundation stone for the construction of classrooms for junior secondary school at St Patrick’s Iten High School in Elgeyo Marakwet on January 08, 2022. PHOTO | JARED NYATAYA | NMG
The supplementary budget shows the additional funds will go towards the construction of 10,000 classrooms to support the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
The first phase comprising 5,200 classrooms is set to conclude in March to pave way for the start of the second phase in April.
The pioneer cohort of the CBC is currently in Grade Five and is set to transition to Grade Six in July when the 2022 school calendar starts.
Construction of junior secondary school classrooms has received a major boost after Treasury allocated Sh2 billion more to complete works on the project.
The supplementary budget shows the additional funds will go towards the construction of 10,000 classrooms to support the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
Construction of the CBC classrooms is ongoing countrywide. The first phase comprising 5,200 classrooms is set to conclude in March to pave way for the start of the second phase in April.
“Sh2 billion will go towards construction of 10,000 classrooms to support CBC,” Treasury said in documents containing the revised spending plan.
The pioneer cohort of the CBC is currently in Grade Five and is set to transition to Grade Six in July when the 2022 school calendar starts.
The new school calendar shows the 2022 Term One will start on April 25 before it reverts to normal in January 2023.
The construction of the new classrooms is aimed at facilitating smooth transition of the pioneer CBC cohort to Grade Seven in 2023.
Pupils currently in primary schools will advance to a three-year junior secondary school before joining the senior secondary level for another three years where they will specialise depending on ability and interest.
From here, they will either enroll for vocational training centres or pursue a university education.
In January, Education cabinet secretary George Magoha directed contractors to complete works on the classrooms before the national exams start.
The Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education is set to start in March 11 for three weeks ahead of its marking that will start on April 4 for another three weeks.
The government started the rollout of the CBC in 2018, introducing disruptive changes where elementary education is divided into pre-primary and primary education, taking two and six years respectively. Junior secondary starts from Grade Seven up to Grade Nine.
The supplementary budget, however, shows a Sh1 billion slash on funding meant for the provision of locally fabricated desks for secondary schools.
