On September 23, 2019, the residents of Ng’ando Ward in Nairobi’s Dagoretti South Sub-County were struck by tragedy when a devastating incident claimed the lives of eight children.
A classroom at Previous Talent school collapsed, resulting in the tragic loss of eight young pupils and causing injuries to 64 others.
The then Education CS, George Magoha, highlighted malpractice in the construction of the ill-fated two-storey structure, describing it as a tragedy waiting to happen.
This unfortunate event shed light on the inadequate educational infrastructure in Ng’ando ward, which lacked a public school capable of meeting the demand for pupil enrollment.
Fast forward five years, there’s a glimmer of hope for Ng’ando ward residents as President William Ruto inaugurated the first public school in the area, Lenana Primary School.
The new school, currently equipped with 22 classrooms, marks a significant milestone for the community. However, it will initially cater to students from Grade One to Four.
Reflecting on the past tragedy, President Ruto expressed his presence during those dark times and his involvement in securing land from Lenana School for the construction of the new facility.
“I was here five years ago when tragedy struck after the building collapsed and killed students. I was able to mediate and we got a piece of land from Lenana school where we were able to get land.” Ruto said.
President William Ruto was accompanied by Cabinet Secretaries Ezekiel Machogu (Education) and Kithure Kindiki (Interior), alongside several Principal Secretaries and other esteemed leaders during the inauguration ceremony.
Dagoretti South MP John Kiarie shared sentiments of gratitude, describing the new school as an answered prayer especially considering the hurdles and delays faced during its construction phase.
“As a sub-county, we have suffered in our attempts to construct a public school where we faced a lot of delays as it has taken five years to construct these classrooms,” Kiarie said.
The MP stated that the initial phase of construction, funded by the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF), costs Sh 20 million. He also revealed plans for the second phase, which will incorporate a Junior Secondary School section.
Commending the President for expediting the construction process through his directives, the MP expressed gratitude for Ruto’s proactive approach.
President Ruto also pledged to complete the project swiftly by adding an additional 24 classroos to cater to a larger number of pupils.
“The classes we have here are still few. Because we can only accommodate four grades. I have offered to build those new 24 classrooms, it is not the Ministry, I will construct those,” he announced.
President Ruto also announced that the Ministry of Education would allocate Sh 10 million to finalize the construction of sanitation facilities and install cabro paving within the school premises.
The Head of State further directed the contractor to expedite the remaining work and ensure completion within the next two months.
Assuring the community of his commitment, the President vowed to return in two months’ time to inaugurate the addition classrooms.
“I want children in this community to have an adequate space and ambience with complete structures for proper learning to take place,” he said.
The president further instructed the Nairobi County Government to established Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) centers to enhance educational opportunities for young learners.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja revealed that Dishi na County will be accessible to students enrolling at the newly iaugurated Lenana Primary School.
President Ruto symbolically rang a bell, signifying the official opening of the school’s second term.
