
1,900 CBC Classroom Contractors to be Paid by June -CS Machogu
Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has announced that over 1,900 contractors who participated in the construction of 10,000 classrooms for the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) during the tenure of retired President Uhuru Kenyatta will receive payment by June.
Machogu assured Members of Parliament (MPs) that the outstanding dues for the contractors will be a priority before the end of the current financial year.
The directive to construct 10,000 classrooms for the CBC was given by President Uhuru in 2021, with a budget of Ksh 8 billion allocated for the project. The cost per classroom was initially estimated at Ksh 1.2 million, but was later reduced to Ksh 788,000.
During a parliamentary session, Julius Melly, the chairman of the Education Committee, inquired about the progress of payments to the contractors and what steps Machogu had taken to expedite the process. Melly also highlighted the positive impact that timely payments to contractors would have on the economy.
Machogu acknowledged the challenges faced by the economy but assured the MPs that the Ministry of Education had made the payment of contractors a priority. He stated that the outstanding amount of Ksh 2.5 billion would be paid before the end of the current financial year, which is in June 2023.
Former Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha had confirmed in July 2022 that all 10,000 classrooms had been constructed under the project.
The construction was carried out in two phases, with 6,500 classrooms built in the first phase and the remaining 3,500 in the second phase.
Machogu’s statement comes as a relief to the contractors who have been waiting for their dues for their contribution to the CBC classrooms construction project.
The timely payment of contractors is expected to have a positive impact on the economy, as it will help stimulate economic activity and support businesses that have been affected by the challenging economic conditions.
1,900 CBC Classroom Contractors to be Paid by June -CS Machogu