BY FLEVIAN GEOFFREY: The M-PESA Foundation has officially broken ground on a modern KSh72 million comprehensive school complex at Wasio Comprehensive School in Migori County, marking another major milestone in efforts to upgrade education infrastructure across the country.
The groundbreaking ceremony drew national and county leaders, education stakeholders, alumni, local residents, and private sector representatives. The high-profile delegation was led by Public Investment and Asset Management Principal Secretary Cyryl Odede and Safaricom Foundation Chairman Joseph Ogutu.
Expected to be completed within nine months, the ambitious project will feature modern classrooms, a 40-seater ICT hub, improved learning facilities, safety installations, and energy-efficient infrastructure tailored to equip learners for the digital era.
Speaking during the event, Principal Secretary Cyryl Odede—an alumnus of the institution—described the initiative as a transformative investment that will drastically improve access to quality education in the region.
“This school was built in the 1960s through contributions from local residents, and this is where I did my primary education.
Remarkably, those same structures still stand today,” said Odede.
He commended the M-PESA Foundation and the school’s alumni for spearheading the project, noting that it represents the second major educational initiative in the area following the Komolo Rume project in Awendo.
Odede expressed optimism that modernizing the institution would drive up student enrollment and elevate learning outcomes within the constituency.
“We are keen on seeing a serious increase in enrollment, and I am optimistic that by March, this comprehensive school will be fully operational and transformed,” he added.
Partnerships
The PS highlighted the tightening financial strain facing government institutions, emphasizing that public-private partnerships are now vital to bridging development gaps in education.
“As the National Treasury, about 60 percent of the revenue we collect goes into debt servicing, while another 30 percent caters to recurrent expenditure, leaving only 10 percent for development,” Odede revealed. “This is why partnerships with private entities such as the M-PESA Foundation are extremely important.”
Odede also noted that the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF), despite its critical role, cannot fully shoulder the infrastructure needs of expansive constituencies.
“The constituency is vast, and the CDF alone cannot adequately finance all these projects. Such collaborations therefore become both necessary and timely,” he stated.
Safaricom Foundation Chairman, Ogutu reaffirmed the Foundation’s commitment to supporting education through sustainable, high-impact investments.
“We are investing KSh72 million to establish an ultra-modern comprehensive school equipped with a 40-seater ICT hub aimed at preparing learners for a digital future,” Ogutu said.
He revealed that the Foundation has embarked on a nationwide program targeting the construction and rehabilitation of 500 schools by the year 2030, which translates to a rollout of at least 100 schools annually over the next five years.
Ogutu explained that the Foundation’s focus extends beyond brick-and-mortar structures to prioritize learner safety, nutrition, and overall student welfare.
“We shall install fire extinguishers in all schools and provide two heavy-duty, energy-saving cooking units to ensure learners receive sufficient meals within a safe environment,” he said.
