CS Ogamba: 16,000 Grade Nine classrooms to be ready by December

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has expressed optimism that the government will complete the construction of 16,000 Grade Nine classrooms by the end of this year.

On Friday, the CS said that the ministry is working around the clock to ensure the necessary infrastructure is in place before the first Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) cohort joins Grade Nine in January.

Speaking after a meeting with principals of technical training institutes at Meru National Polytechnic, Ogamba confirmed that approximately 12,000 classrooms are already on track for completion.

The government has secured Sh11 billion from the World Bank to fund the construction of more than 11,000 classrooms, while the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NGCDF) is expected to finance the remainder.

"We are still committed to ensuring a smooth transition for Grade Eight learners. By January, we will be ready to receive them in all schools across the country," Ogamba stated.

The CBC's Basic Education structure spans 2 years in pre-primary, 6 years in primary, 3 years in junior secondary, and another 3 years in senior secondary, resulting in a 2-6-3-3 system.

Introduced in 2023, junior secondary covers grades 7, 8, and 9.

The first cohort entered Grade 8 in January 2024, with Grade 9 commencing in 2025. The 2025 Grade 9 class will be the first to complete junior secondary under the CBC.

Meanwhile, senior secondary school spans three years, targeting learners aged 15 to 17.

School principals had proposed a split in junior secondary education, with Grade 7 remaining in primary schools and Grades 8 and 9 moving to secondary schools, leveraging existing facilities and staff.

In addition, Education CS mentioned that the ongoing recruitment of 46,000 teachers aims to convert junior school intern teachers into permanent positions.

This move is part of a broader effort by the Kenya Kwanza administration to strengthen the education system.

During the event, which celebrated the first anniversary of the Competency-Based Education Training (CBET) curriculum, CS Ogamba also highlighted plans to increase funding for technical training.

Currently, about 500,000 learners are enrolled in public technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions, but there is potential to expand that number to over 2.5 million.

He noted that the TVET curriculum has been improved to align with global job market needs and urged institutions to create programs that address overlooked skills, such as training for farmhands and firefighters.