How mobile carton lab prompted alumni to construct Sh3.5m laboratory in Machakos school

Muulani Primary and Junior Secondary School’s community in Kalama, Machakos County is celebrating Sh3.5 million laboratory, courtesy of alumni.

This is the first modern laboratory of the kind to be constructed in a primary school within the county since the inception of the Competency-Based Curriculum during retired President Uhuru Kenyatta’s regime.

Jackson Nzioki is the Kombuni Primary School head teacher in Kola, Kalama subcounty, but decided to mobilise resources to construct the much-needed laboratory at Muulani Primary School where he studied many years back.

“Learners from Muulani Primary used to attend their practical classes at neighbouring Muulani Secondary School’s laboratory. The school’s laboratory isn’t well equipped. In fact, it’s just like a classroom,” Nzioki told the press at Muulani Primary and Junior Secondary School on Thursday.

Teachers, learners and their parents alongside high-profile personalities attended the new laboratory’s official opening at the school on Thursday.

The public learning institution is located 12 kilometres from Machakos town at Nzioni sublocation in Kalama subcounty, Machakos. It has 200 learners from PP1 to Grade eight.

“I was compelled to start a laboratory here because it’s a requirement by the Ministry of Education. I knew that the most important thing which was required here was classrooms since there weren’t enough,” Nzioki said.

“But, I moved a notch higher since I have friends from the UK who could assist me in constructing a library. When they told me that they wanted a legacy project, my mind ran into a laboratory since I knew it was the most expensive project to execute."

Nzioki said his decision on the laboratory project was also informed by the fact that the Education ministry could only do a few small repairs.

He said the National Government Constituency Development Fund couldn’t construct a laboratory in the institution while there were no adequate classrooms.

“When I told my friends about the need to help us construct a laboratory at the institution, they said it was a genius idea because it hadn’t been implemented anywhere. So, we started immediately after I told them that by the end of Grade 9, learners would be able to go for Social Sciences and Creative Sports,” Nzioki said.

Nzioki said the laboratory’s construction began in January and ended before July.

“It’s well equipped to the much we could do. The facility is now ready for use by Grade 9 learners,” he said.

He said the laboratory was open for use by learners from other neighbouring schools since it is a community-driven project.

“If a school like Kisueni misses something, they can come to Muulani to get help just the way our learners were doing. It was a hectic thing, a mobile laboratory in a carton, carrying a few things in a carton and taking it to class. Sometimes they could miss what they wanted and return with their small carton to use in class,” Nzioki said.

The newly constructed laboratory has a capacity of 25 learners at ago with adequate space.

“It has everything needed in a laboratory for learners’’ effective studies such as gas, enough lamp stands, chemicals, fire extinguishers, adequate lighting and film chambers.”

The school has two competent integrated science teachers to handle learners in the laboratory. It’s also connected to the electric grid with installed solar power for backup. Both, are courtesy of Nzioki and his international partners.

Nzioki said several parents had moved their children from schools in neighbouring Makueni County to Muulani due to its modern infrastructure and facilities alongside the availability of learning materials and equipment.

“They are enjoying the library and laboratory among other facilities, they are part and parcel of the school,” Nzioki said.

Parents’ representative Joseph Muindi thanked Nzioki and his partners for what he termed a generous gesture of constructing and equipping the laboratory.

“The laboratory is important to us since it will enable our children and great-grandchildren to learn all science subjects which are importantly needed in this country to enrol for higher learning,” Muindi said.

Muindi said the Sh3.5 million donated by Nzioki and his friends in the diaspora to construct the facility could have been raised by parents and the community at large.

“But, we were saved from that. it’s a benefit to us as a community,” Muindi said.