The government has completed the construction of 14,880 Grade 9 classrooms across the country, ahead of the first term set to begin tomorrow, January 6, 2025.
Education Cabinet Secretary Migos Ogamba confirmed that 93 percent of the targeted 16,000 classrooms are now ready for use.
“In the few cases where construction is yet to be fully finalized, our field officers and school heads have been instructed to implement temporary measures to ensure all learners are accommodated,” Ogamba said. He added that these measures include using alternative school spaces and merging streams where class sizes allow.
Ahead of the reopening, the government has dispatched 9,926,618 textbooks, with distribution expected to be finalized by January 6. Additionally, 76,928 teachers have been employed to bolster the education workforce, 56,928 of whom are on permanent and pensionable terms, while 20,000 are interns.
To address staffing needs in Junior Secondary Schools (JSS), qualified primary teachers will be progressively deployed to ensure adequate staffing across institutions.
The government has also committed Sh48.4 billion in capitation funds for the first term. Of this, Sh4 billion is allocated for free primary education, Sh15.3 billion for JSS, and Sh28.9 billion for free day secondary education.
“We are working closely with the National Treasury to ensure the timely release of funds to facilitate smooth operations,” Ogamba noted.
The first term of 2025 will last 13 weeks and includes a five-day mid-term break.
