The M-PESA Foundation has officially broken ground for the construction of a state-of-the-art KSh72 million comprehensive school complex at Wasio Comprehensive School in Migori County, marking yet another milestone in the Foundation’s sustained efforts to transform education infrastructure across Kenya.
The groundbreaking ceremony brought together national and county leaders, education stakeholders, alumni, local residents and representatives from the private sector, led by Public Investment and Asset Management Principal Secretary Cyryl Odede and Safaricom Foundation Chairman Joseph Ogutu.
The ambitious project is expected to be completed within nine months and will include modern classrooms, a 40-seater ICT hub, improved learning facilities, safety installations and energy-saving infrastructure aimed at preparing learners for a rapidly evolving digital future.
Speaking during the event, Principal Secretary Cyryl Odede, who also hails from the area and attended the institution during his formative years, hailed the initiative as a transformative intervention that would significantly 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, the same structures still stand today,” said Odede.
“I sincerely thank the M-PESA Foundation for initiating this noble project alongside our alumni. This becomes the second major initiative after the Komolo Rume project in Awendo.”
The PS noted that the modernization of Wasio Comprehensive School is expected to trigger a significant increase in school enrolment and enhance the quality of education for learners within the vast constituency.
“We are keen on seeing a serious increase in enrolment, and I am optimistic that by March the comprehensive school will be fully operational and transformed,” he added.
Odede underscored the growing financial pressure facing government institutions and emphasized the importance of partnerships between the government and private entities in bridging development gaps, especially in the education sector.
“Our universities are producing many graduates, yet employment opportunities remain limited. Communities have also struggled to raise funds for critical school infrastructure projects,” he observed.
“As the National Treasury, about 60 percent of the revenue we collect goes into debt servicing while another 30 percent caters for recurrent expenditure, leaving only a paltry 10 percent for development. This is why partnerships with private entities such as the M-PESA Foundation are extremely critical.”
The PS further noted that the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF), while instrumental, cannot sufficiently address the infrastructure demands within expansive constituencies.
“The constituency is vast and the CDF alone cannot adequately finance all these projects. Such collaborations therefore become necessary and timely,” he said.
Safaricom Foundation Chairman Joseph Ogutu reaffirmed the Foundation’s long-term commitment to strengthening the education sector through sustainable and impactful 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,” said Ogutu.
He revealed that the Foundation has embarked on an ambitious national programme targeting the construction and rehabilitation of 500 schools within the next five years.
“M-PESA Foundation is committing to support 500 schools by the year 2030, translating to at least 100 schools annually over the next five years,” he stated.
Ogutu said the Foundation is not only focusing on infrastructure but also prioritizing learner safety, nutrition and conducive learning environments.
“We are keen on equipping schools with facilities that meet the required standards while taking into account safety protocols to protect learners,” he said.
“We shall install fire extinguishers in all schools and provide two heavy-duty energy-saving cooking units to ensure learners receive sufficient meals within the school environment without having to leave the institution.”
To minimize disruption during construction, the Foundation will establish temporary learning spaces to cushion students as construction progresses.
“The project is expected to take a maximum of nine months. In the meantime, we are working on modalities to set up makeshift classrooms to ensure learning continues uninterrupted,” Ogutu added.
Over the years, the Safaricom M-PESA Foundation has emerged as one of Kenya’s leading philanthropic organizations supporting education infrastructure development through strategic partnerships with the Ministry of Education, county governments and local communities.
The Foundation has invested billions of shillings in the construction and renovation of classrooms, dormitories, laboratories, sanitation facilities and digital learning hubs across marginalized and underserved regions.
Through its education pillar, the Foundation has consistently sought to improve access to quality education by creating safe and modern learning environments while supporting the government’s Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) and digital literacy agenda.
The Foundation’s interventions have particularly focused on schools facing acute infrastructure deficits, helping decongest classrooms, improve retention rates and promote equitable access to education.
The Wasio Comprehensive School project now joins a growing list of transformative educational investments undertaken by the Foundation nationwide, reaffirming the critical role of public-private partnerships in advancing Kenya’s education agenda and nurturing future generations.
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