Government To Improve Infrastructure On Existing Schools Instead Of Setting Up New Ones.

Deputy President William Ruto has said that the Jubilee Government will provide more resources to schools countrywide to improve on their infrastructure instead of establishing new schools.

Speaking at the Mary Hill Girls’ High School in Thika on Friday, Ruto said that the move was part of the government’s plan to boost education so as to ensure a conducive learning environment for all pupils in the country. Even while expressing satisfaction with the increase in school transition rate of students from primary to secondary and from secondary schools to universities and other institutions of higher learning, the DP noted that no child should learn in an environment that was distractive.

“We should try and accord our children the best we can give them in our schools. No child should learn in an environment that is distractive. Instead of starting new schools, the government will support the infrastructure of the existing ones to make learning conducive and provide additional resources to oversee the expansion of schools. We have also increased capitation in secondary schools in the last three years to between 30% and 40% and stopped payment of examination fees at both class eight and form four level to ensure that every child gets an opportunity to education,” said the DP.

Ruto said the scrapping of examination fees applied to both public and private schools.

“The government had taken the responsibility so that no child is denied their certificates on account of failure to pay examination fees,” said Ruto.

“We are also constructing technical training institutes in all constituencies to admit students who cannot make it to universities, where they can acquire practical skills. It is only a knowledgeable population can meaningfully contribute to the country’s development,” he added.

The Deputy President said most schools had been connected to electricity since 2013. He lauded the Catholic Church for their contribution to education sector.

Ruto called on Kenyans to shun divisive politics that created hatred, divisions and animosity among the people said the country will not forge ahead economically with infighting among politicians and their supporters.

“We must desist from getting back where we were as a country in 2007 by ensuring that we uphold peace in all our deeds, especially in this season of heightened politics. We must build bridges of brotherhood and friendship across communities, tribes, regions and religions because transformation of Kenya will be faster if we work together. There is no way the country can move forward if we hate each other and remain divided,” the DP said.

Kiambu Governor William Kabogo and Thika MP Alice Ng'ang'a scoffed at those criticising fund raising meetings for schools and other projects saying that the spirit of Harambee was now part of the Kenyan culture and would remain so because a lot had been achieved.

Kabogo expressed confidence that the new Independent Electrical and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) will successfully preside over next year’s election and give Kenyans the government they desire.

On her part, Ng’ang’a said the Jubilee Party would easily triumph in next year's elections and urged those dissatisfied with Cord to decamp now.

“The IEBC does not vote, it is Kenyans who vote and I have no doubt that the Kenyan electorate will vote in Jubilee in next year’s election,” she said.

Also present was the Principal Secretary for Education Dr. Belio Kipsang.