Tired of unreliable Govt funding, school in Kilifi makes wonders through donor support

Public schools in Magarini Sub-county, Kilifi County, are struggling to establish infrastructural development with limited funding from the national government and have resorted to seeking donors to fill the gaps.

The national treasury has been adamant about releasing more than Sh. 64 billion owed to schools as capitation funds, so schools have been hit hard as they struggle to implement the Competence-Based Curriculum (CBC), which seems expensive.

At Mapimo Comprehensive School, the largest in Magarini Sub-county with the highest population of 2,100 learners, donors’ support has helped it acquire the much-needed infrastructure to implement CBC.

Despite coming from one of the poorest sub-counties in Kilifi, the school administration uses connections to attract donors who have transformed the school, which has contributed to better performance.

Florence Omwenga, the school’s principal, attributed the developments to tireless proposals being sent to various donor organizations and government agencies that have been supporting them in building the infrastructure.

Speaking at the school, she said that the county government of Kilifi built 12 classrooms and a cabro road after she sent several proposals to the Gongoni ward MCA, whose office is adjacent to the school.

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She said that Magarini NG CDF is also renovating six classrooms while the national government is constructing five classrooms for Grade nine learners.

“We also wrote a proposal to Islamic Relief Kenya, which built three new classrooms and renovated two other classrooms,” she said.

The principal added that the school’s good performance has attracted many students who want to learn there.

To her, collaboration is key to development and is the only way to improve school infrastructure. It requires cooperation between the administration and the school board of Management.

Zacharia Karisa, the BoM chairman of Mapimo Comprehensive School, thanked the national government for funding the construction of five classrooms for CBC grade nine, which has already started.

He said their principal has also been proactive by writing many proposals to donors, which has enabled them to attract donors such as Islamic Relief Kenya, which has funded classroom projects.

Karisa said that the administration has been working tirelessly to seek funding for development.

Fatuma Singa, a BoM member, thanked the government for its support, which has helped transform the school.

Lawrence Nzai, the chairman of Mapimo Junior Secondary School, said that construction is currently going on in the school, which, once completed, will make it the best in the county.

By Nehemiah Okwembah