School heads to shift burden of fees to parents as cash crunch hits, KNUT boss
3 min read
Parents to pay more fees as cash crunch hits schools amid delays by the government according to KNUT deputy sec gen
Parents to pay more fees as cash crunch hits schools amid delays by the government according to KNUT deputy sec gen.
Hesbon Otieno, the deputy secretary general of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), intimated on June 29 that school administrators were clinging to financial lifelines and had no alternative but to pass along the cost of fees to parents in order to keep the schools open.
In an interview with Radio Citizen, Otieno accused Ezekiel Machogu, the cabinet secretary for education, of misleading parents and school administrators by claiming that the government had already distributed monies to the schools.
Additionally, he pointed out that school principals were in a difficult situation as a result of the vast majority of parents siding with Machogu against them in their complaints that they lacked the resources to buy basic requirements for their schools.
“When the government is saying that they have disbursed funds to schools, the parents believe the government more than they believe the school principals.
“When the Education CS says that the government has disbursed the capitation, parents think the principals are lying yet they cannot buy necessities like books and food for the schools,” stated Otieno.
The Deputy SG charged that Machogu was using the school heads as pawns in a political game and claimed that his pledges were an attempt to mislead the populace on the government’s performance.
According to Otieno, school administrators will need to impose more fees on parents in order to keep educating pupils and fostering a positive learning atmosphere.
Raila starts the process of overturning what Azimio terms Ruto punitive policies
Matatu owners announces natiowide fare hike effective from July 1st
Government announces the recruitment of 24,000 teachers from July
German tourist international found dead in Diani resort
He asked parents to understand the situation the school heads were in, absolving them (principals) of plotting mint money from the directive.
“This is just politics to show that the government is working. The principals will have no choice but to increase the fees.
“For the school to run efficiently, there is no other way to get these funds.
The only other option is to go back to the parents and tell them the truth.
The principals have to go and find that money from the parents,” he added.
Additionally, he asked Machogu to refrain from painting a bad picture of principals adding that as long as schools were not receiving funding from the government, they had no other way to run them.
“The CS should not say that the principals are forcing parents to give money, parents have to understand that education must continue. It is not a threat, it is the reality of things.
Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) Ezekiel Machogu on Wednesday, June 28, stated that the government intended to recruit over 24,000 teachers to bridge the gap experienced across schools countrywide at the start of the 2023/2024 Financial Year.
He added that starting July 1, the government would not disburse capitation to schools through a quarterly system but instead, school heads will receive capitation in the ratio of 50:30:20 for the first, second and third terms respectively.
Also read,
Omari and Ombeta expresses interest in DPP position as selection panel calls for applications
Panic in Nakuru as sick woman vomits dead rat
Don’t pay Raila his Ksh74M pension over tax boycott, Ruto ally tells Treasury
Kenya Motorist Association supports Raila’s call for carpooling over Ruto’s fuel VAT
US taxi firm inDrive granted licence to operate in Kenya
Follow us
