By Nsunjo Erica
The Kenyan government is set to use 1.6 billion Shillings to develop public schools in the next two months ahead of their scheduled reopening in January 2021.
The money is aimed at implementing the secondary education quality improvement program (SEQUIP) sponsored by the World Bank.
The program, which began in 2017 and is projected to cost Sh8.2 billion in six years, will benefit schools that are educationally and economically disadvantaged.
Education Chief Administrative Secretary Zack Kinuthia said through SEQUIP, 1.6 billion shillings has been set aside to construct ablution blocks in public schools.
Mr. Kinuthia added that laboratories, classrooms, and any other facility that is required by the 30 targeted counties will also be worked on during this project.
The program targets 7,852 public primary and 2,147 public secondary schools, which were identified based on the high incidence of poverty and low retention rate.
According to Education Chief Administrative Secretary Zack Kinuthia, many public primary schools are in poor condition, with some lacking electricity, and this program aimed at improving and developing these schools.
Reports indicate that in public schools, 26 girls share a toilet. For boys, about 30 share a toilet, yet most of these facilities do not meet the criteria for accessibility, quality, or acceptability.
The government is to allocate 6.5 billion shillings to hire more teachers and improve school infrastructures to facilitate better learning continuity on reopening.
The Education Ministry also plans to buy 257,000 desks, the desks will ensure social distancing is observed in classes according to the Ministry Of Health.
The Ministry Of Health plans to make sure that headteachers will ensure adequate clean, running water and sanitation facilities in their institutions and procure tanks where applicable by the end of October.
All schools will be required to develop the protocols on hygiene and social distancing measures as specified by the Ministry Of Health before reopening.