Africa-Press – Kenya. Two public schools in Eldoret CBD will be shut down and the children relocated to other schools under a plan to create space for expansion of the town which is gearing for city status.
The plan is to shut down the two schools at the end of this year. Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii has now forwarded to the county assembly a report by an ad hoc committee recommending elevation of the town to city status.
More than 93 per cent of residents approved the elevation through public participation forums held by the committee that was chaired by the region’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry chairperson Willy Kenei.
From the county assembly, the report will be forwarded to the Senate and later to the President who after consideration will grant a chatter to the town to become Kenya’s fifth city after Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu and Nakuru.
“We are praying and hoping that the award of the charter coincides with the devolution conference to be held in Eldoret in August,” Bii said.
However, fear has gripped hundreds of learners from Eldoret Central primary and Eldoret Central secondary schools which are located in the midst of the town and will be shut down.
The two school sit on land measuring more than 10 acres which is valued at more than Sh5 billion. Bii has said the move to relocate the affected learners is meant to pave the way for the expansion of fast growing Eldoret town.
According to Bii, the town will need the land for construction of commercial buildings, parking space and malls. The governor, however, assured parents, teachers and other stakeholders that they will be involved in discussions and deliberation over the move to transfer learners outside the town’s central business district.
“There should be no cause for alarm as we shall involve all stakeholders before the final decision is implemented in regards to relocation of learners to other public schools,” Bii said.
He said he had asked the assembly to speed up discussions on the report recommending the elevation of the town to city status. Preparations are underway in Eldoret to host the CoG devolution conference which will be graced by more than 10,000 local and international delegates. President William Ruto will also attend the event.
“Once we get the city status, we will need land for parking space and other development projects to spur the economic growth of our town and that is why students from the public schools will be relocated to other learning institutions outside the town,” Bii said.
The two schools have more than 5,000 learners most of them from the low income areas and slums around the town. The schools are sponsored by the Reformed Church of East Africa.
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