State to approve CBC junior secondary classrooms by private schools

The Ministry of Education has given private schools the green light to construct classes for Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) junior secondary schools.

Education Cabinet Secretary Prof.George Magoha Saturday said the government will support and approve junior classrooms created by private schools in readiness for the smooth transition of Grade Six learners from primary school to Junior Secondary School in 2023.

The learners are set to join grade six, in April when the 2022 academic year begins.

The total number of Grade Six and Standard Eight learners expected to join the secondary school in 2023 will be about 2,571,044.

With parents worrying about the big number of candidates, the CS maintains that the Ministry is fully prepared to ensure 100pc transition to high school.

Education Cabinet Secretary Prof. George Magoha says the government will support and approve junior classrooms created by private schools. @KICDKenya pic.twitter.com/2osIv9z7aI

— EduMinKenya (@EduMinKenya) February 12, 2022

“We have worked very closely with private schools, as our partners and investors, we are encouraging those who can afford to go ahead and create solo junior secondary schools. This has been an open secret. It means they add two classrooms and teachers which I believe they have been doing as we move along together” said the CS when he commissioned 11 new classrooms at Bungoma DEB primary school.

Magoha said the construction of the first tranche of 6,467 classrooms which started in November is on track and would be completed before the start of national exams next month.

Cabinet Secretary Prof. George Magoha flanked by Bungoma Governor Wycliffe Wangamati and area MP Wafula Wamunyinyi have today taken part in the commissioning of eleven new classrooms at Bungoma DEB primary school. pic.twitter.com/eaTZlZA1Mk

— EduMinKenya (@EduMinKenya) February 12, 2022

The second phase will be rolled out in April, immediately after the National Exams.

The government plans to construct 20,000 new classrooms by 2023 when the first CBC cohort will join junior secondary schools.

” We have the resources to meet our target. At the moment Ksh3.2 billion earmarked for the project is yet to be utilized” he said.

The junior secondary schools will be domiciled in existing public secondary schools but Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Jwan clarified that in some situations the government will use classrooms in primary schools to host the learners.