President William Ruto has said the government will complete the construction of 11,000 classrooms for Grade 9 pupils before schools reopen for the 2025 academic calendar.
The President said the government is committed to making the transition of the CBC students to Grade 9 smooth and without any hiccups.
“Next year, we shall be having Grade 9 and we need more classrooms, the government has laid down plans we are in the process of completing 11,000 classrooms for Grade 9,” Ruto said.
The President was speaking when he attended a church service in Moiben, Uasin Gishu County on Sunday.
There have been fears that the government is not fully prepared to receive Grade 9 pupils next year amid concerns about a lack of enough classrooms and teachers.
The president sought to allay fears among parents saying the government has plans in place to ensure a smooth transition for the CBC pioneered class.
“The future of our children is important for us as parents and as a nation, how we plan for them and how we educate them is important for us as a nation’,” he said.
At the same time, the president said the government will from January next year recruit 20,000 new intern teachers after transitioning 46,000 JSS teachers into permanent and pensionable terms.
He said the government will continue to prioritise the education sector to secure the future of Kenyan children.
The president said the government has allocated Sh3.5 billion additional funds to the NG-CDF kitty to help in constructing 6,000 more classrooms as part of preparations for Grade 9 pupils.
He challenged MPs to move with speed and make sure that the classrooms are ready to alleviate the confusion of classrooms in Grade 9 next year.
“You are going to match a shilling for a shilling to help us construct more than 6,000 classes so that we can have a smooth transition to Grade 9,” he said.
by JAMES MBAKA