Government committed to ensure smooth school transition, Owalo says

The government is committed to ensure smooth transition from grade eight to nine come January 2025, Deputy Chief of Staff in the office of the president, Mr Eliud Owalo has said.

According to Owalo who is in charge of performance management and delivery, the government has finalized plans to construct an additional 16,000 classrooms in comprehensive schools across the country to accommodate learners who will be joining grade nine in January 2025.

“The government has put in place financial mechanism that will facilitate the construction of the deficit 16,000 classrooms across the country in readiness students joining grade nine for January 2025 ” Owalo said

The DCS also said that the government intends to alleviate teacher shortage by not only absorbing the 46,000 intern teachers into permanent and pensionable terms but also hiring an additional 20,000 teachers to meet the current shortage.

“We are aware that we have been having shortage of teachers and that is why the government has decided to absorb the 46,000 intern teachers through the Teachers Service Commission and also hire an additional 20,000 teachers which has already been advertised,” he said.

Owalo who was speaking during the official handing over of Kametho primary school in Rarieda sub county which was refurbished by Safaricom Mpesa foundation under the citizens of the future programme at a cost of sh. 35 million said the ICT facility at the school will equally benefit the local youth through training and job creation.

” I urge the youth to utilise the ICT facility installed at the school to train during weekends because ICT is the frontier that will give us jobs as the government targets to train at least 300 youths in all wards across the country” Owalo said

He revealed that the government has elaborate plans transform the country through development asking the locals to brace themselves for electricity, water, security, road and additional markets projects in the region to spur economic growth.

The deputy chief of staff commended the Safaricom Mpesa foundation for the refurbishment of Kametho primary school saying the school now has adequate and modern infrastructure which is expected to ignite improvement of the school’s academic performance.

He challenged the local community and the local leaders to improve enrolment of pupils at the school which currently stands at 250 pupils and also work on modalities that will enhance academic performance.

Safaricom Mpesa Foundation chairperson Joseph Ogutu who graced the occasion disclosed that under the citizens of the future programme, the foundation targets to refurbish 600 schools across the country and equip the with ICT hubs that will train the students to be digital natives.

Ogutu told the local community and beneficiaries of Kametho primary school to ensure that they utilise the facility for intended purpose and also ensure pupils become digital natives as intended by the project.

“It is not enough to have excellent infrastructure. The project will only the relevant only if performance improves and the aim of creating digital natives is achieved.” said Ogutu.

He commended the Engineers working on the project for delivering the project on time and within the estimated budget pointing out that the project reflected value for money.

The Safaricom Mpesa foundation chair urged parents to be good stewards of the facility which is expected to support leaners for the next 100 year if properly taken care off.

Siaya county commissioner Nobert Komora who attended the event said the institution has no excuse for performing dismally asking teachers and parents to work together to deliver results at the school.

Safaricom Mpesa foundation has supported the construction and refurbishment of facilities at Kametho and Oboch schools in Rarieda sub county at a cost of shs 35 million each over the last one year.

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