NYERI, Kenya Aug 10 — Nyaribo Primary School in Nyeri County is set for a major facelift following the groundbreaking of a Sh52 million modernisation project aimed at transforming learning facilities and expanding access to science, technology and digital education.The project is being spearheaded by the M-Pesa Foundation, which has committed Sh50 million, while the Ministry of Education is providing an additional Sh2 million towards the construction of a Junior Secondary School science laboratory.East African Community Principal Secretary Dr Caroline Karugu, who led the groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday, said the investment would give learners access to experiential learning and better prepare them for the demands of the digital age.“These children have been learning imaginary science because they don’t have a science laboratory. They have been imagining what computers are and what they look like. With these projects, they will now acquire experimental learning,” Karugu said.The project will see the construction of four permanent classrooms, a science laboratory, a computer laboratory and an Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) centre, alongside the equipping of the learning facilities.The existing old and wooden structures are being demolished to pave the way for modern facilities designed to maximise the use of the school’s five-acre piece of land.Karugu, a native of Nyaribo village, said the school had for years suffered from inadequate infrastructure, denying learners opportunities available to children in better-equipped institutions.She said she sought support from the National Government and development partners after witnessing the challenges facing the school.“We are here doing the groundbreaking for the upgrade of Nyaribo Primary School, an institution that has been marginalised for many years in terms of infrastructural development,” she said.Karugu said the modernisation would not only improve the physical learning environment but also restore dignity to the institution and give pupils access to facilities necessary for modern education.The project is expected to enhance STEM education, digital literacy and practical learning among pupils while providing improved facilities for both primary and junior secondary learners.The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by Cooperatives Principal Secretary Patrick Kilemi, Public Works Principal Secretary Joel Arumonyang, a trustee of the M-Pesa Foundation, national and county government leaders and thousands of community members.The project marks a significant investment in the school’s infrastructure and is expected to transform Nyaribo Primary into a modern learning institution serving children from the surrounding community.