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Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha says construction of the second phase of Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) classrooms will start this week.

The first batch of CBC classrooms is nearly complete, he added, as the Government is racing against time to ensure  seamless transition of Grade Six learners to Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) next year.

The first phase involved construction of 6,497 classrooms. An additional 3,500 will be done in the next phase.

 The CS said the government has delivered the CBC classrooms at a record time to ensure the transition time-lines are met.

Done extremely well

“As far as the CBC classrooms are concerned, we have done extremely well, especially in public schools. The work is 98 per cent compete and we expect it to be finalised by mid this week,” he said.

The national government had intended to construct 10,000 CBC classrooms under the schools infrastructural development programme to facilitate its 100 per cent transition policy to secondary schools.

The new classrooms were to cost Sh8 billion. Their construction began last November and was expected to conclude by March. The initial deadline was March 7 but it was extended to March 11.

Magoha expressed optimism that the project shall be completed in good time to ease an expected  congestion crisis.

 “By the time we hand over at the end of the current administration in August, the Ministry of Education shall have delivered the 10,000 CBC classrooms as promised by President Uhuru Kenyatta,” he added

July time-frame

Speaking during the inspection of  CBC classrooms at Golden Elites Academy in Kisumu at the weekend, the minister said private schools have already constructed 1,200 classrooms with an additional 5,000 to be ready by July.

“The numbers in our private schools are equally encouraging. This has created extra space for us. The government will facilitate registration of  these new schools,” he added.

Amid growing concerns, especially from education stakeholders, over the government’s preparedness on the junior secondary school transition, the CS said that necessary structures were being put in place to ensure the process is seamless.

Host first batch

 Flanked by Kenya Private Schools Association (KPSA) National Chairman Charles Ochome, Magoha said public and private secondary schools are ready to host the first batch of CBC students as they prepare to transit to junior secondary school next year.

Pioneer CBC learners will sit their final tests this December, alongside the 2022 KCPE and KCSE students, setting the stage for transition to junior secondary in January.

“Our beloved children who are in grade six have their examination ready. As to how they are going to transit into junior secondary, that is being worked on. Sooner rather than later, definitely before we leave office, we shall leave a clear pathway on the transition process to junior secondary schools,” the CS explained.

He told off critics of the new education system, saying there is no turning back in implementation of educational reforms that have faced opposition from many stakeholders.

According to Magoha, it will be impractical to scrap off CBC since the government has pumped in a lot of  money to the education sector to fund the new curriculum.

Here to stay

“I want to tell these people that the CBC is here to stay. If in future they want to change it, they must give us a credible alternative and how it is going to be manned,” Magoha said.

At the same time, he warned politicians against politicising the curriculum, as that is unhealthy for the education sector. 

He added: “Let us shun cheap talk and toxic politics on CBC. Don’t confuse our children and parents.”