admin_county April 10, 2018

Nakuru County keen on improving education performance

The County Government of Nakuru has put in place measures and is working with education stakeholders to improve performances in schools.
Speaking during the AGM of Kenya National Union of Teachers Nakuru Branch Children’s Education Fund, the CEC for Education, ICT and e-Government Raymond Komen noted that last year’s KCSE results are an indication of declining performance in the county.
He noted that in last year’s KCSE, 45 percent of students who sat for this exam in Nakuru County scored a mean grade of E and that the mass failure has been the trend for the last four years.
“The Nakuru County Education Board has noted with concern this worrying trend of poor performance of the national form four exam in our county”, said Mr. Komen.
“Immediately after the results were released, the County Education Board prepared a report that recommended mitigation measures. The report was handed Governor Lee Kinyanjui who in turn organized a meeting for all education stakeholders last month at Nakuru High,” he added.
He said the meeting was successful in establishing strategies of reversing the trend and a follow up forum will be held next month.
At the same time, Mr. Komen commended the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Nakuru Branch for the Children’s Education Fund initiative, which supplement’s bursaries given out by the County Government.
Mr. Mungai Muhia, the KNUT Executive Secretary Nakuru said that since its inception sixteen years ago, the fund has grown to Ksh222.5 million.
“At the start in 2001 the fund’s share capital was slightly over Ksh12 million, currently it is about Ksh 222.5 million. As of 31st December, 2017; loans to members stood at Ksh 196 million as compared to Ksh 154 million in the previous year 2016”, said Mr. Mungai.
The CEC also outlined Governor Kinyanjui’s achievements in the eight months he has been in office.
He said in agriculture, Governor Kinyanjui has launched a county-wide pyrethrum revival project that has attracted support from the National Government. He said quality and disease free pyrethrum seedlings will be distributed to farmers.
Horticultural farmers have also not been left out, with carrot farmers in Mau Narok having been aided to establish commercial village models that are doing well in eliminating exploitative middlemen.
The inaugural Nakuru Goat Auction that took place in Banita, Soin Ward a fortnight ago was monumental in laying the foundation for improving livelihoods of livestock farmers who over the years sold a goat for Ksh 3, 000.

During this auction a goat was sold at Ksh 10, 000 and animals worth Ksh6 million were sold.
In the infrastructure sector, Governor Kinyanjui immediately after assuming office initiated the Boresha Barabara program, an initiative that aims to make feeder roads at the grassroots accessible.
Mr. Komen also said the Governor has been able to secure a deal with the Kenya Defence Force for an airport. Plans are at an advanced stage of turning the military airstrip in Lanet into an airport.
The Governor, he said, is also providing leadership in the localization of the President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Big Four Agenda in Nakuru County for the betterment of people’s livelihoods.
Already, Governor Lee Kinyanjui has secured a deal with the World Bank for the construction of low-cost houses in Naivasha Town.