The M-Pesa Foundation has completed a Ksh 69 million school upgrade at Mumbi Primary School in Nyandarua County, delivering new classrooms and modern learning facilities in a move that signals growing private sector investment in education infrastructure.
The project included the construction and equipping of 16 classrooms, an administration block, a library and ICT centre, a multipurpose hall, a dining hall and kitchen, and new sanitation facilities.
The Foundation also built a school gate as part of the works.
The investment is part of a wider plan by Safaricom and the M-Pesa Foundation to support education through long-term infrastructure development, ICT skills training, and scholarships across the country.
“Education has the power to transform lives if learners are allowed to access quality facilities,” Safaricom Chief Executive Officer Peter Ndegwa said.
Adding;
“Education goes beyond the content; infrastructure is an enabling factor in improving learning standards.”
Ndegwa said the Foundation launched the Citizens of the Future Programme last year to rehabilitate schools through the construction and renovation of learning facilities, positioning it as one of the biggest education-focused initiatives by a corporate foundation in Kenya.
“That is why as a Foundation, we launched the Citizens of the Future Programme last year, which is geared towards the rehabilitation of schools through construction and renovation of learning facilities,” he said. “The five-year programme targets more than 500 schools in each of the 47 counties.”
The programme, launched in October last year, is expected to upgrade infrastructure and enhance teacher skilling in ICT in over 600 institutions nationwide.
It also plans to award scholarships to more than 10,000 students in senior secondary and tertiary institutions over the next five years.
At Mumbi Primary School, the new facilities are already changing the learning environment and boosting confidence among learners and teachers, according to the school’s leadership.
“We had dilapidated school facilities, which affected the performances and morale of the learners. Most of the structures were condemned, which posed a challenge to teaching and learning at this institution,” said headteacher David Gachomba.
He added that the state of the school had previously discouraged parents from enrolling their children, leading to low numbers over time.
“There was low enrolment as a result. However, since the Foundation constructed new facilities at the school, we have seen a significant improvement in our academics and we expect a rise in the intake of learners this term owing to the conducive learning environment,” Gachomba said.
Beyond Mumbi Primary School, Safaricom says its education spending in Nyandarua County has been growing steadily. Since its inception, Safaricom, through its Foundations, has invested Ksh 132 million in education projects within the county.
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