The government is in the process of constructing a total of 14 Junior Secondary School classrooms at Lenana School Primary in Ngando Ward, Dagoretti South Sub County, to enable a smooth transition of grade six learners at the school.
Lenana school, a project initiated by President William Ruto in December 2023, has to date seen the completion of 48 classrooms constructed in two phases and has an enrolment of 2500 learners from baby class to grade six.
Nairobi Regional Commissioner (RC) Gilbert Kitiyo, who led the Nairobi Government Development, Regional Implementation Coordination and Management Committee team to inspect ongoing projects at the school, said it is the wish of the government to see all school-going children enrol in school.
The 24 classrooms constructed in Phase One were officially opened by President Ruto on 13th May, 2024 while the second batch of 24 classrooms done in Phase II whose works commenced in December 2023 and were also commissioned by the President on 13th January, 2025.
RC Kitiyo who was accompanied by the Acting Head of the Government Delivery Unit, Olando Sitati and Regional Departmental Heads, said the government has started the construction of additional classrooms for Junior Secondary School classrooms to enable the grade 6 learners sitting for the KPSEA 2025 examinations to transit to the next grade in the same institution.
Currently, Ngando Ward has no public Junior school and it is estimated that a total of 300 students from the school and an estimated 200 students from private academies in the Ward are expected to apply for admission to grade 7 next year.
“The government wants this school to accommodate children from this ward, who have been enrolling in private primary schools for lack of a public school in the area. This will lessen the burden on parents,” said Kitiyo.
Other facilities coming up at the school include science laboratories, a staff room, ablution blocks and an area designated for Physical Education. The Nairobi County Government has also promised to construct at least eight Early Childhood Development classrooms at the school.
The RC assured the community that the government will equip the school with all the required learning facilities to enable the students to excel in academics.
He also advised the learners to concentrate on their studies and maintain discipline at all times.
Sitati commended the multi-agencies involved in the project for the good works they have done and urged the school board to ensure they achieve the 100 percent transition, as well as ensure that all children who have no birth certificates get them.
“This certificate is important, as it will enable the school to do proper planning and factor capitation so that learners do not miss out on the National Education Management Information System registration and other benefits like Social Health Authority services,” he stressed.
The school has benefited from support from the Kenya Railways Corporation, which is constructing a perimeter wall; Kenya Rural Urban Roads is improving roads infrastructure around the school; the Athi Water Works Development Agency has supplied a borehole, an overhead 24 cubic metre storage tank and a solar-powered pumping system; and the Ministry of Public Works, National Water and Sewerage Corporation and NG-CDF have also supported the project.
By Bernadette Khaduli
