By Our Reporter

4th January 2019

Kitui East MP Nimrod Mbai has dismissed critics of his efforts to build more day secondary schools to boost education n the area.In heated exchanges on social media with a section of youths who said his new day secondary schools construction bid was a waste of resources, Mbai, backed by an ardent supporters of the plan told the opponents to go to hell.

The youthful critics argued that instead of building new schools, he should equip existing ones and make them centres of excellence.But an adamant Mbai, true to character, told them off saying he would proceed with the plan as well as keep improving existing ones.

“Excellent school of thought,,, I have been trying to explain to some of my friends about the same… The idea of having many schools In our area is good,,, but what about the quality of education & the availability of resources let us not rush to things we have local schools,yes what do they give instead? Members Here gave an example of 2016 a student getting 300 marks plus in kcpe but when he came to our local schools he got a D- ….let’s broaden our minds and think big..” one critic said.

Another added, “In my opinion I think that it would be better to channel the available resources to boost the existing local schools rather than opening a multiple of them. Most of the local schools are not even populated in fact you’d find a class with less than 25 students which means that the total population of some schools is less than one hundred. Therefore instead of opening more and more incapacitated local schools, we should first support the existing ones. We need trained teachers and all the schools be equipped with necessary facilities. With that even the top students in our primary schools will be drawn to join them. Parents want quality education not just education. After the existing local schools pick up then others can be opened for competition purposes but first lets embark on providing the pre-take off conditions”.

“You guys can go and live in Nzambani…. Just leave us alone. What and who do you think you are to lecture us. The handouts you are getting from Nzambani can and will never derail us. Where would you want kids from Kamwiu to go to for the free Day Secondary Education”, quipped the MP popularly known as Kama Mbaya Mbaya.

“Whoever did not get form four certificate because they could not afford Kitui based school can explain this to you. For instance county govt employs form four drivers what will happen to many of our old brothers who did driving after class 8”, argued a supporter.

“Kamwiu, Kyukuni and Masikalini Day Secondary Schools are projects born of Public Participation by the People of Kyamatu. Our mothers can reason better on matters education than some of these busy bodies. Opening a new school does not mean neglecting the old ones”, added the MP

“I spent 4 year in Makueni and what surprised me was that nearly every Primary school had a secondary school. Same scenario in Machakos. It’s not surprising that in most public institutions in Kenya, at least 5 top officials from these counties.
In order to ensure our children in day schools don’t walk long distances, it’s good if we increase day schools at convenient distance intervals to ensure more of them join secondary schools while living in their homes. These days they rent rooms in markets exposing them to social vicesaway from parental care. Let’s support more schools please while National Govt is at it. Times and priorities will change leaving us in irreparable historical disadvantages. Let’s make hay while the sun shines.
But let’s also continue improving old ones. Kudos Mheshimiwa for farsightedness. Kisomo No Kyo”, said another supporter of the plan.

The MP has hit headlines for using day schools to tame school drop out rates and improve access to education for children in marginalised parts.

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