Over 600 education stakeholders from Lugari Constituency converged at the Salvation Army Bible college at Forestall in Lugari Sub County to deliberate and strategize on better ways of improving the poor academic standards in the Constituency.
The meeting which was organized by Lugari Member of National Assembly Nabii Daraja Nabwera brought together secondary school principals, primary school heads, Board of Management, Parents Association leaders from all primary and secondary schools within the Constituency and graced by Kakamega County Governor FCPA Fernandes Barasa with Nabii promising to prioritize education.
Among the key issues raised by the stakeholders to be affecting academic standards are delocalization, understaffing, inadequate infrastructure and non-cooperation from a section of parents.
The stakeholders decried the high level of understaffing as one of the reasons that have contributed to attainment of meager scores by learners in their final examinations.
Education officials said most of the teachers who had been transferred to the region have shown lack of commitment since some are demoralized, hence affecting their output in learning institutions.
The MNA Nabii Nabwera pledged to spend up to 60 percent of the National Government Constituency Development Fund in his Constituency to lift education standards which he described to be in ‘deplorable state’.
Nabii said the general schools performance in Primary and Secondary is worrying and that immediate attention is needed.
The MNA said the majority of secondary schools in the Constituency were producing form four grades that are not helping learners to continue with their further education.
Nabii called on the entire education stakeholders in the constituency to help him achieve improved education standards in the first three years of his leadership and together with bringing down all mud walls constructed schools.
“I am already facing the direction of ensuring that for the first three years of my term over 60 percent of NG-CDF money allocated to Lugari is spent on education,” Nabii told the education stakeholders.
The MNA however called on the education stakeholders to give him support so that he can achieve his dream of changing better grades of learners as they pursue their education dreams.
Addressing the same event, Governor Farnandes Barasa assured Nabii that the County government will continue enrolling bright and needy students to the County loans scheme which was begun during the tenure of former Governor Wycliffe Oparanya.
Barasa revealed that the established County Higher Education Loans Scheme so far sponsored 856 students.
“We have constructed two centres of excellence at Manyonyi and Nzoia Girls Secondary Schools here in Lugari and also initiated a Higher Education Loans Scheme which has helped 856 students across the county.” Barasa said.
Governor Barasa praised Nabii for initiating such an important step at an early stage of his tenure assuring him to help through scholarship of students and fixing of key infrastructures in schools in identified needy schools.
The Governor reiterated his commitment towards laying a strong foundation in the education sector through continuous establishment of ECDE centres and County polytechnics which will not only be well equipped, but also have well trained instructors who will meet the student- tutor ratio.
The Governor further said Marakusi County polytechnic in Lugari Ward was going to be upgraded and will soon start churning out Diploma graduands.
