Govt of Kuwait To Donate Sh.1.1 Billion For Nyamira Schools’ Facelift

The Government of Kuwait will invest Sh1.1 billion to upgrade the infrastructure of 68 schools in Nyamira at a cost of Sh1.1 billion.

Mr. Joshua Kaga, Director of Education (CDE) for Nyamira County, confirmed to KNA that a needs assessment survey for identified schools has been conducted to determine the exact infrastructure needs for each school and calculate the cost estimates for each construction work that will be undertaken in those schools.

The County Director of Education (CDE), Mr. Kaga, reported that many schools in the county are grappling with severe deficiencies in facilities.

ALSO READ: 2024 Commonwealth PhD and Master’s Scholarships in UK: Opportunity for Kenyan Students

These challenges encompass issues such as the absence of administrative blocks, deteriorated structures, some of which have been deemed unsafe, overcrowding due to high student numbers, the absence of water harvesting and storage systems, and numerous other hurdles.

This dire situation directly hampers the effectiveness of teaching and learning programs, as the institutions’ conditions are not conducive.

In response to these challenges, the governments of Kenya and Kuwait have initiated a joint effort to renovate and improve the infrastructure of 68 schools in the county.

This project aims to create an enhanced learning environment that will enable students in the region to compete on a level playing field with well-established schools, ultimately narrowing the academic performance gap following national examinations.

ALSO READ: Unlock Children’s Full Potential at Early Stage, CS Machogu Urges

The CDE has confirmed that the government has contracted Hope Design Systems Limited and AL Habshi Consultants of Kuwait to provide design and construction supervision services for the development of school infrastructure within the constraints of available budgets and timeframes.

Architect Isaac Kamau from Hope Design Systems Limited, who is the needs assessment survey team leader for schools in Nyamira County, stated that they are closely consulting with the management of identified schools to assess their immediate infrastructure needs and to propose a design for how the identified and designed works will be carried out in each school.

ALSO READ: Teachers’ Unions, UASU Calls for Increased Education Budget

The donation from Kuwait will be used to improve dormitory facilities, pit latrines, administration blocks, laboratory blocks, library blocks, fences for student safety and to prevent land grabbing and encroachment, and to install water harvesting and storage tanks, according to Kamau.

Kamau clarified that the facelift is not limited to a particular design, as the unique requirements identified in each of the 68 schools will be addressed individually, and during execution, basic works, depending on the needs of the school, will be completed and the structure will be put into use.

He mentioned that the benefiting school would use money from other sources to either propose expanding the current structure or to address other school requirements.

The challenges in project execution are diverse, just as there are needs, but the contracted project implementers will be advised to ensure they establish proper mechanisms to address these challenges and ensure the projects are fully completed and put to use immediately.

ALSO READ: 52 Constituencies to Receive TVET Colleges, Education PS Muoria Announces

The county’s terrain is extremely mountainous, so contractors must know how to navigate, be able to work around the designs of existing structures, and utilize school land efficiently.

Kamau pointed out that many schools do not have the basic civil infrastructure they need, like drainage systems to handle rainwater and septic tanks to handle full pit latrines. Additionally, there are issues with school accessibility that project contractors will have to deal with.

The County Director of Education also appealed to stakeholders, including school administrators, the Board of Management (BOM), political leaders, professionals, and other government administrators, to cooperate when called upon during the execution of this massive project, which has strict deadlines to improve learning institutions, as they are the cradle investment in the future of our children and country.

Govt of Kuwait To Donate Sh.1.1 Billion For Nyamira Schools’ Facelift