The Ministry of Education has released Ksh.2.5 billion to settle debts owed to contractors for the CBC classrooms across the country.
The contractors who have been waiting for the Ministry of Education to clear their payment are now on the cusp of receiving their money.
Each of the 3,500 classrooms was constructed at a cost of Ksh.778,000, it is this amount that will be used to compute payments to the contractors
Debra Atieno, is one of the contractors. She built three classrooms in two different schools in Siaya County.
A month ago, she told Citizen TV that the debts were driving her to despair. Today, she is singing a different tune
“The last time i was here i was crying, today i can smile all the way to the bank…,” says Debra.
Debra’s joy shared by hundreds of others like her across the county and the country.
The payments will be effected in the course of the week but before the contractors get their hands on the cheques and the money in their accounts, they will have to jump through a few procedural hoops.
In a memo sent to all sub county directors of education, the Ministry acknowldeges the pending payments and directs that the Ksh.2.5 billion disbursed to the contractors.
But the contractors will first have to provide proof of the works done.
The contractors will submit their invoices to the project managers, who will then certify the amount to be paid to the contractors.
The contractors will also have to provide minutes of sub county technical committee approving the payments, award letters and contract agreements, as well as KRA certificates, partnership agreements, valid tax compliance certificate and the certificate of occupation.
Debra says they are ready for this final part.
“The documents that were in Nairobi were returned now we are planning to take them to the respective schools so that we can be paid,” says Debra.
This payment now brings to a close the government ambitous plan to increase learning space in schools, under the implementation of the CBC system of education.
A total of 10,000 classrooms have now been added to the country’s education landscape.
Most of the new classrooms will however not be used by the Junior Secondary School students now, as the plans to domicile them in secondary schools were reversed, retaining them in the primary school sector.
