You can’t build school infrastructure when learners are at home, says MP

Kasipul Member of Parliament Ong’ondo Were has reiterated his commitment towards allocation of bursaries to bright and needy students despite the growing concern to build school infrastructure in Kenya ahead of resumption of the normal academic calendar.

Were unlike most of his colleagues at the 12th Parliament has said that his priority for this financial year is to provide financial support to the deserving poor kids in schools, a move he says has immensely contributed to the improvement of education standards in the constituency.

“My approach in using NG-CDF money has been exceptional in the sense that I have focused more to award bursaries to needy performing students at the expense of erecting structures in our schools. This has worked well and local stakeholders have embraced the initiative.This is just the beginning of great things ahead in our education empowerment bid” he affirmed.

National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) has in the past year channelled funds to the education and security sectors.

Reports show that the agency has allocated more than Sh40 billion to education through bursaries and construction and renovation of infrastructure in schools.

But the soft spoken first time legislator while underscoring the need for enhanced physical infrastructure at new and existing schools,more efforts should be extended to the the welfare of learners’ stay in school.

“Building classrooms, offices and latrines is not bad as we all understood the COVID-19 pandemic brought about an increased focus on public health, particularly in school settings.However we can’t put all our energies on Infrastructure when the kids have been sent home for school fees.It is important that we maintain them in schools to help in good performance of examinations at the national level” he further added.

The CDF Board was established in 2003 through the CDF Act, which was declared unconstitutional as it gave MPs a direct management role. It was then re-established in 2015.

It is purposed to address citizens’ socio-economic development at the constituency level with a view to to reducing poverty and enhancing equity. It, however, also pays attention to education under its corporate social responsibility programme.

In 2019/2020, it constructed more than 10,000 schools and ablution blocks, 1,035 administration blocks, 178 dining halls and 301 dormitories and bought over 200 buses.

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