Dr Patrick Bucha pushes for new approach to school development in Imenti North
Dr Patrick Bucha hold a hen at the Nchaure Primary and Junior School Fundraiser. Photo by Brian Gitonga.
By Brian Gitonga
Imenti North MP aspirant Dr Patrick Mwenda Bucha has emphasized the need for increased investment in education through the provision of both physical and social infrastructure, saying the two are essential in improving the quality of learning and creating an environment where learners can thrive.
Speaking at a fundraiser held at Nchaure Primary and Junior School in Imenti North Constituency, Meru County, to raise funds for the purchase of seats for learners, the parliamentary hopeful, who was accompanied by Ambassador Consolata Maina, said investing in classrooms alone is not enough. He said schools should also have facilities that nurture learners’ talents and support their overall development.
Dr Bucha said quality education goes beyond putting up buildings, noting that schools should also have laboratories, multipurpose halls and other facilities that enable learners to participate in co-curricular activities while excelling academically.
“We want to provide physical infrastructure without forgetting social infrastructure so that our learners have a good place where they can study. We want them to have laboratories, a multipurpose hall where they can meet, practice their talents and also grow in other extracurricular abilities,” said Dr Bucha.
The MP aspirant said his years of service in government, including in the Housing and Tourism ministries, have equipped him with the knowledge of how development resources can be mobilized.
He faulted leaders who depend solely on the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF), arguing that effective leadership should involve lobbying for additional funding from development partners and other stakeholders.
He noted that the constituency currently receives about Sh192 million through NG-CDF, which is shared among bursaries, school infrastructure and other development projects, making it insufficient to address all the needs within the constituency. He said alumni, investors and other partners should also be engaged to support education projects.
“What North Imenti needs is someone who is able to lobby for funds from other places and not depend on CDF alone,” Dr Bucha said.
In addition, the MP hopeful who also serves as the patron of Nchaure Primary and Junior School, said the ongoing construction of a multi-storey classroom block is intentionally designed to maximize the available land.
He explained that unlike the conventional horizontal classroom layout adopted by many schools, the vertical design would preserve more space for future expansion and other school activities.
He observed that many schools in Imenti North have used up large portions of their land because of sprawling classroom blocks, limiting opportunities for further development. He expressed confidence that the project would demonstrate how schools can make better use of limited land while accommodating future growth.
Nonetheless, Head of Institution Fredrick Mwitari thanked Dr Bucha for supporting the fundraiser and contributing towards the purchase of seats for learners. He said the school offers quality education despite being a relatively young institution and encouraged parents in the area to enroll their children there.
“We want to assure parents that the quality of education in this school is good because we have qualified teachers and the necessary infrastructure. We urge parents to enroll their children here because everything needed for learning is available,” Mwitari said.
Mwitari also cited delayed capitation and inadequate funding as major challenges facing public schools, saying they continue to affect learning programs and infrastructure development. He appealed to the government to ensure schools receive capitation funds on time to enable them to continue offering quality education.
Board of Management Chairperson Ndumba Kamunde commended Dr Bucha for initiating the construction of the new classroom block, saying the project would help consolidate learning activities and create additional space for other developments within the school.
“I thank Dr Patrick Bucha for initiating the construction of this new block so that we can consolidate the school from Grade One to Grade Eight in one area. This will help us create more space for other school activities,” said Kamunde.
Kamunde said the school is also planning to introduce a boarding section alongside the existing day school program to widen its catchment area and increase enrolment.
He said the move will attract learners from beyond Nchaure and strengthen the institution’s capacity to serve more students in the future.
Similar Posts by The Mt Kenya Times:
- Hands together, hearts giving: Bushenyi rises for AMDEF
- Motorcycles burnt outside St Stephen’s Cathedral in Kisumu
- Beyond technical: Re-engineering the future for Kenyan graduate engineers
- Nyahururu in the eye of the storm: Political violence casts a shadow over Kenya’s democratic future
- Kindiki defends Ruto, says Kenyans are judging government too quickly
About the Author
