Four secondary schools in Gatundu North Constituency have been closed following a sharp decline in student enrolment, raising fresh concerns over the sustainability of learning institutions in the area.
Kamwangi, Kaibere, Miteero and Mbichi secondary schools were shut down by the Ministry of Education after authorities determined that dwindling student numbers had rendered the institutions financially and operationally unsustainable. Learners from the affected schools have since been transferred to neighbouring institutions to continue with their studies.
Gatundu North MP Elijah Njoroge Kururia confirmed the closures, warning that more schools could face a similar fate if the enrolment trend persists. He noted that some institutions were operating with fewer than 20 learners, forcing teachers to handle classes with as few as two or three students across multiple subjects.
“You find a school has about 20 learners, meaning each class has only two students being taught all subjects. This is too costly and unsustainable,” Kururia said.
The legislator spoke while disbursing bursary cheques worth KSh29.6 million to more than 4,000 learners in 25 day secondary schools across the constituency. Each student received KSh7,000 to ease the burden of school fees amid rising living costs.
Kururia linked the declining enrolment to shifting family dynamics and falling birth rates, observing that many young couples are opting to raise smaller families. He also pointed to what he termed neglect of parental responsibilities in some households, urging stakeholders to urgently address the underlying causes.
“We already have schools with less than 100 learners. Unless stakeholders act, more closures are inevitable,” he cautioned.
To cushion families, the MP announced that all day secondary school students in the constituency will now pay KSh1,500 per term, with the Gatundu North National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) covering the balance. He expressed optimism that the long-term goal is to make secondary education fully free in the constituency.
Parents welcomed the bursary programme, saying it has provided much-needed relief. Some, however, admitted that declining birth rates and economic pressures are reshaping education trends in the region.
Education stakeholders now face the delicate task of balancing resource allocation with shrinking enrolment figures, as Gatundu North grapples with the reality of underpopulated schools and the gradual loss of institutions that once formed the backbone of local communities.
