Turkana county schools will receive desks, lockers and chairs in an upgrade and countrywide economic stimulus programme for the jua kali sector.
The new furniture will help achieve social distancing and help prevent the spread of Covid-19.
County commissioner Muthama Wambua said on Wednesday primary schools will receive 7,140 desks and and secondary schools will receive 3,100 lockers and chairs.
“This is an economic stimulus programme that aims to ensure needy jua kali artisans benefit from the project and have money during the Covid-19 pandemic," he said.
He said artisans who win tenders will be paid 50 per cent upfront and the balance on completion of the work. The money will be paid through mobile money transfers.
Artisans will be paid Sh3, 800 for the assembly of secondary student lockers and chairs and Sh2, 500 for the assembly of a primary school one-seater desks. This amount applies countrywide.
Wambua announced that a county committee and seven subcounty committees will be responsible for identifying beneficiary schools as well as jua kali workers to supply the furniture.
Schools were to reopen on January 1 but there are indications they could reopen next month under strict Covid-19 protocols.
Health CAS Mercy Mwangangi said experts are investigating the surge in Covid-19 cases in Turkana and Mombasa. Turkana has recorded 189 cases and no fatalities.
Nationally, 5,254 secondary schools and 5,136 primary schools will benefit from the desks. Each subcounty is allocated desks for a minimum of 15 primary schools and 15 for secondary schools.
Education director Peter Magiri said all secondary schools will benefit because all subcounties have fewer than 15 secondary schools.
Turkana Central subcounty has 12 secondary schools, while Kibish subcounty has only one secondary school.
Benefiting primary schools will receive 50 desks per school and secondary schools will receive 70 desks because extra desks will be shared equally across the schools so each school gets 70 lockers and chairs.
Magiri said the criteria for identifying the benefiting primary schools will include enrollment because the idea is to achieve social distancing. Economic vulnerability is another criterion.
The county committee on school furniture is chaired by the county commissioner. Other members are the director of Education, the director of the Teachers' Service Commission, the officer for youth affairs and the county information officer.
The subcounty committees are chaired by the deputy county commissioner. Other members are the Education officer, TSC officer and at least two other members from state agencies.
Education CS George Magoha said the government next week will announce the schools reopening date. Only schools that meet strict Covid-19 safety protocols will be allowed to open.
(Edited by V. Graham)
