The Redemptorists Mission of Kenya continues to partner with the Redemptorist Solidarity Office for Africa and Madagascar in the implementation of the Iruma Development Education Programme (IEDP) located in Maara district, Tharaka Nithi country of Eastern Province of the Republic of Kenya. The project seeks to achieve the millennium development goals especially in achieving primary education for all children. This will be achieved through construction of new classrooms, teachers’ accommodation and latrine septic tank at Makengi Primary school, construction of additional classrooms at Iruma Primary school, refurbishment of classes, purchasing of desks for teachers and construction of latrines. In addition to that, the project seeks to construct more classrooms, a kitchen and latrines at St Alphonsus Primary School.
All these activities have been successful because of the extensive support from the community leaders, government and other relevant stakeholders. Different stakeholders have been involved into this project and an impact has been realised. At Makengi Primary School, there has been a challenge in relation to staff accommodation and below are the pictures of two staff cottages under construction. The idea behind construction of staff cottages is based on staff retention. There are very few teachers who have been willing to work at this school due to the reason that there has been poor and dilapidated staff cottage. It is our hope that when staff get proper accommodation, there will be good staff retention and this will also increase the pass rate of school children thereby having an impact on improved quality of education offered to school children. In addition to that, the project also is committed to ensuring that children have access to relevant quality education especially for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children. The aspect of retention has also been key in this project as the targeted disadvantaged children are expected to go back to school where there are committed school teachers who are capable of assisting retention of students against counter productive social practices and completion rate to 95% in the designated 3 primary schools. Several activities however, have been implemented so as to reach this expected outcome. Below are the pictures of the staff cottage being constructed by the Redemptorist Mission of Kenya through the support of the Solidarity Office.
