Koskei Sounds Alarm Over Education Crisis in Mt. Elgon, Urges Massive Investment in Local Schools

By Augustine Were

 Head of Public Service Felix Koskei has expressed concern over the low number of schools and poor education infrastructure in Mt. Elgon Constituency, warning that the region risks falling behind unless education is given the priority it deserves.

Speaking during the official opening of a new students' dining hall at Friends Moi Kaptama Girls Senior School  in Bungoma County, Koskei said education remains the most powerful tool for transforming communities and unlocking economic opportunities.

He challenged residents to embrace education as a long-term investment that will uplift future generations and accelerate development in the constituency.

"Education is the greatest investment any community can make. Mt. Elgon has enormous potential, but that potential can only be realized if we give education the priority it deserves," Koskei said.

Koskei was accompanied by Mining Principal Secretary Harry Kimutai and Higher Education Principal Secretary Dr. Beatrice Inyangala, who echoed his concerns over the poor state of infrastructure in many schools across the constituency.

The leaders noted that inadequate classrooms, laboratories, libraries and other essential learning facilities continue to affect the quality of education, making many parents opt to enroll their children in schools outside Mt. Elgon.

They called on the National Government, through the **National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF)**, to allocate more resources toward improving school infrastructure to create a conducive learning environment.

Mining PS Harry Kimutai said investing in education infrastructure would significantly improve academic performance and enhance the competitiveness of learners from the region.

> "Adequate learning infrastructure is critical to improving academic performance. We must invest more in our schools if we want our children to compete nationally and globally," Kimutai said.

The leaders observed that the continued migration of learners to schools outside the constituency has weakened local institutions by reducing enrollment and limiting their growth.

They appealed to parents to have confidence in schools within Mt. Elgon and enroll their children locally, saying increased enrollment would strengthen the institutions and attract more government and stakeholder investment.

Dr. Beatrice Inyangala emphasized that strong community support is essential in building quality schools capable of producing well-equipped graduates.

 "Parents should have confidence in our local schools. By supporting them, we create stronger institutions capable of delivering quality education to future generations," she said.

The leaders reaffirmed the government's commitment to improving education infrastructure and expanding access to quality learning facilities, saying every child deserves an opportunity to study in a safe and conducive environment regardless of where they live.

The newly commissioned dining hall at Friends Moi Kaptama Girls Senior School is expected to improve student welfare and enhance the school's learning environment as the government continues to invest in education infrastructure across the country.