The Ministry of Education has reported encountering challenges as it prepares to introduce the inaugural Grade 9 cohort.
During a press briefing on Monday, Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang’ indicated that there is a shortage of classrooms to accommodate the students, necessitating creative solutions to “ensure that we do not disrupt learning.”
Kipsang’ mentioned that certain classrooms will experience overcrowding for a period of 30 days while the Ministry undertakes efforts to construct additional facilities.
“In instances where overcrowding is unmanageable, we may implement a multi-shift system, allowing one group to utilize the classroom while another engages in outdoor activities,” he explained.
He further stated that the Ministry intends to allocate Ksh.16 billion to finalize the construction of the classrooms.
To date, Kipsang’ reported that 13,500 classrooms have been completed out of the target of 16,000.
The Ministry is in the process of constructing 11,000 classrooms, while the remaining facilities will be funded through the NG-County Development Fund (CDF).
According to Kipsang’, the Ministry has successfully built 10,500 classrooms, and the NG-CDF has contributed 3,000.
Additionally, 9.9 million textbooks have been distributed to various primary schools hosting Grade 9 classes.
Moreover, the Teacher’s Service Commission (TSC) has deployed 46,000 teachers who were previously on internship, along with an additional group of 20,000 teachers.
However, Kipsang’ emphasized that the current number of teachers remains inadequate, and further recruitment is necessary to match the student population.
This situation arises as the country progresses in the implementation of the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) for the Junior Secondary School (JSS) rollout.
The CBC initiative has faced challenges, including inadequate funding, lack of preparedness, and unexpected changes to subject clusters, as observed in recent developments.
Concerns persist regarding the government’s readiness to accommodate Grade 9 students in 2025, particularly in light of the insufficient facilities and teaching staff.
