PS Kipsang: 18,000 grade 9 classrooms to be ready by December

Education PS Belio Kipsang has announced that the government is building 18,000 classrooms to accommodate Grade 9 learners in junior schools next year.

He said 11,000 classes are being developed with support from development partners while 7,000 classes are being built through CDF.

“I would like to announce and assure the country that we are adequately preparing for the transition from Grade 8 and 9 next year. We are currently constructing all the required infrastructure and there is no cause for alarm”, Kipsang said.

He said 56,000 teachers have been recruited for the success of the CBC and there are plans to hire 20,000 more.

“We are also continuously reviewing the capacity of teachers in primary schools so that they are ready to support the junior secondary schools,” Kipsang said.

He said the government is fully committed to the success of CBC and is working with all partners to put in place the necessary infrastructure.

Kipsang said all plans were also in place to ensure smooth transition from Grade 9 to Grade 10 in 2026.

He spoke in Eldoret at the official opening of the 96th Kenya Music Festival presided over by Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii.

The 12-days event will see 130,000 students and participants converge in Eldoret for the festival.

58 schools are being used to host festival whose theme is “Talent Development for Growth of Creative Economy”.

Kipsang said President William Ruto is fully committed to the development of arts and talents.

He said parents should not be worried about the future of the CBC because the government will eventually make it successful despite the few challenges.

PS Belio said they are working closely with partners including unions Knut and Kuppet noting that the teachers had fully embraced CBC and other changes in the sector.

The PS said the Music Festival was a major event in the education sector and the government would invest more in building infrastructure in all major schools to be able to host such events among other forums.

Chairman of the Kenya Music Festival Professor Fredrick Ngala said they were in the process of making the festival to be an international event.

This year, he said, teams from Uganda, Tanzania and a university from the UK were participating in the event in Eldoret.

“We are also advancing the use of technology in the festival so that parents at home and other Kenyans can easily access what we are doing”, said Ngala.