Nairobi — The Principal Secretary for Basic Education, Dr Belio Kipsang, has announced that the government is considering implementing a shift learning system to address concerns over the construction of Grade 9 classrooms.
Speaking during a multi-agency assessment of Grade 9 classrooms in parts of Nairobi, Dr Kipsang explained that the proposed system would enable two groups of students to utilise the same facilities, equipment, and resources at different times.
“The main objective of the double-shift system is to increase the availability of school places while minimising budgetary strain,” he stated.
Dr Kipsang emphasised that the shift system would serve as a short-term solution to allow time for the completion of ongoing classroom construction projects.
“In situations where congestion is unavoidable, we may consider introducing a multi-shift approach. For instance, when one class is engaged in outdoor activities, the time can be optimised for another group without disrupting learning,” he added.
The Principal Secretary noted that the Ministry of Education is working tirelessly to ensure that contractors deliver all 16,000 classrooms by February. Thus far, 3,000 classrooms have been completed with support from the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF), and an additional 2,000 are at various stages of construction.
Dr Kipsang further revealed that 10,500 classrooms of the targeted 11,000 have been constructed, bringing the total number of ready classrooms to 13,500.
Addressing concerns over a shortage of textbooks, he disclosed that the Ministry has distributed 9.9 million books across nine learning areas to Grade 9 students.
He also highlighted the availability of over 80,000 teachers qualified to teach Grade 9 but acknowledged that the numbers remain insufficient for nationwide coverage. To mitigate this, the Teachers Service Commission has issued posting letters to 20,000 teachers, while 46,000 intern teachers have been converted to permanent and pensionable terms.
The government remains committed to resolving these challenges to ensure a smooth transition for Grade 9 learners.
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