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Education CS reassures public on grade 9 transition preparedness

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba has allayed fears over lack of preparedness in the transition of learners from primary to Grade 9, as reported in a section of the media.

Instead, Ogamba said that the government was well prepared in ensuring a smooth transition of learners to grade 9, amid challenges of space in the comprehensive schools where the first cohort of Grade 9 pupils has been domiciled.

Speaking at Besiobei Primary School in the Konoin constituency, Bomet County, Ogamba said that all the earmarked pupils had already settled in their respective schools, with the government availing the requisite infrastructure and basic facilities to accommodate them.

“In fact, to demonstrate the level of preparedness, between October and December 2024, the Ministry of Education had overseen the construction to completion of over 14,500 classrooms in record time,” Ogamba said.

He reiterated that this was in line with the undertaking given to the public by President William Ruto in his promise to see a smooth uptake of the CBC in the country.

During the opening of the new school year last week, panic and uncertainty gripped the public and players in the education sector on the expected high turnout of learners in comprehensive schools due to the progression of Grade 9 against limited infrastructure.

Initially, during the phased-out 8-4-4 system of education, primary schools had 8 classrooms before the introduction of Junior School-Grade 7 and 8, with the roll-out of the Competence based Curriculum in 2019.

Last year, the government set out to construct 16,000 classrooms across all comprehensive schools in the country in a concerted effort between the Ministry of Education and the NG-CDF.

In Bomet County, CS Ogamba visited a number of schools in the Sotik and Konoin constituencies while accompanied by MPS Francis Sigei (Sotik) and Brighton Yegon (Konoin), respectively. The minister commissioned new Grade 9 classrooms in various schools in both constituencies.

He thanked Members of Parliament for stepping in to address the infrastructure challenges in schools in the country through the NG-CDF kitty.

Ogamba said by the end of January, all the earmarked 16,000 classrooms will be completed and furnished to accommodate all learners while the government was still in a recruitment drive of more teachers to handle the rising numbers of pupils at the comprehensive school level.

He asked parents and guardians to ensure that they send their children to school in line with the 100 percent transition policy.

By Erick Ongeri

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