MP WANYONYI REVAMPS NEW KIHUMBUINI SCHOOL
New Kihumbuini Primary School was built in 1982. It was established to offload the bulging pupil population of the neighbouring Kihumbuini Primary School. Tucked in Kangemi Informal Settlement in Westlands Constituency, it is one of the three public primary schools in the location.
The primary school, which is a county government institution, has a population of 1700 pupils and 33 teachers. At least 25 of the 33 teachers are employed by the Teachers Service Commission with 8 engaged by the Parents Teachers Association. The pupils are mainly drawn from the expansive Kangemi and Kawangware informal settlement areas.
Since its establishment, the school has never seen any major renovations.And so over the last one month, the Westlands NG-CDF funded renovation of the school and provided materials befitting a conducive learning environment.
With more than 30 classrooms refurbished, the school now stands as a centre of attraction-beautifully painted in peruvian brown and sky blue. Furthermore, the detailed renovations included replacing of all broken windows, putting floor tiles, setting up of new ceilings, putting up of new metallic doors to replace wooden doors, installing of new blackboards, shelves and white boards.
Prior to the MP’s intervention, the facilities, especially classrooms, were in a state of disrepair and decrepitude. The floors had potholes, roofs were leaking and most ceilings had been damaged.
The school which has undergone a complete transformation is expected to have improved attendance, increased enrolment and motivated pupils and teachers.
The Westlands legislator believes education is the only hope for poverty alleviation in every society, and to him Westlands is no exception. He strives to make schools a better place to acquire knowledge.
In addition to the renovation, the Westlands MP is expected to donate desks and chairs to the school to ease congestion in the classrooms. New Kihumbuini has in the recent years benefited from a fully furnished computer laboratory,painting of the school, 100 desks and 100 chairs and the construction of a modern ablution block as facilitated by Westlands MP Hon Tim Wanyonyi.
In January 2003, Free Primary Education was rolled out by the government. With this positive action, the program has seen increased numbers in the enrollment of children.
According to the Economic Survey 2018, enrollment rose from 5.9 million children to 8.8 million children in 2011. The FPE police abolished school fees and other levies that posed hindrance to children gaining access to education.
With lack of funds, public schools have struggled to stay afloat, and ultimately it is the children who are suffering. Maintenance of schools has been left to the Constituency Development Fund and well-wishers to assist uplift the schools, and this is the story of New Kihumbuini Primary School.
Westlands MP Hon Tim Wanyonyi, has been an education champion by spearheading the positive transformation of public schools to be at the same level with private academies.
The headteacher, Vitalis Sirucha, described the MP as a problem solver, adding, “Every human being is remembered for one of two things on this earth—either for the problem created or problem solved. You are indeed a problem solver and we are grateful to you.”
