Teso North Member of Parliament Oku Kaunya has called on schools to construct and revamp laboratories so as to boost Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics learning for grade 9 students who are expected to join Senior Secondary Schools where they will partake in STEM courses.
Speaking at Amagoro during the disbursement of Sh33 million National Government Constituency Development Fund bursaries, Kaunya pointed out that the laboratories will serve a crucial purpose in realizing the ambitions of the Grade 10-12 under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
“The STEM pathway is a cornerstone of the CBC, and without functional laboratories, our students are limited to theory. We must invest in these facilities now to ensure that our young learners can engage in practical, hands-on experiences that prepare them for real-world challenges,” said Kaunya.
The school bursaries disbursed by Kaunya will impact students by retaining them in schools, which in turn sustains educational access across the constituency.
Additionally, Kaunya noted that the next priority will be to provide schools with facilities that meet the requirements of the new curriculum, especially in the areas of science and technology.
In support of these sentiments, Teso North KESSHA chairman Mr Jones Ayungu stressed the importance of well-equipped laboratories in the delivery of quality STEM education.
“Without laboratories, our schools cannot effectively implement the CBC STEM pathway. Science is practical and students have to perform actual experiments in order to acquire the requisite skills,” said Ayungu.
He also requested school Administrators, Boards of Management, and the Ministry of Education to focus on funding construction of laboratories, particularly in rural and less privileged schools.
“As leaders, we have the responsibility to not only allocate finance to educate but ensure that a conducive ecosystem for quality learning exists,” noted Kaunya.
The event featured a joint commitment to ensuring access and quality while calling on stakeholders to work together to fully accomplish the CBC’s promise of transforming the education experience for learners in Kenya.
The legislator, however, warned contractors fond of doing shoddy work that they stand to be blacklisted or face legal action.
By Owen Mutai
