A legislator has criticised the government for barring the NG-CDF from issuing bursaries to students in day secondary schools despite not providing enough cash for all their needs.
Manyatta MP John Muchiri at the same time expressed disappointment that the government has been barring principals from sending students in day secondary schools home, yet the capitation provided is not enough for essential activities.
The government says it has provided enough capitation to cater to each student's needs. But Muchiri said the cash is hardly enough to meet all their needs, including lunch, electricity, watchman’s salary and travelling outside school on official functions.
Speaking at his office when he issued bursaries worth Sh28 million to students in secondary schools and colleges, Muchiri said the money is also so restricted that it cannot be used for any other purpose apart from the specified ones.
He said principals complain that under whatever circumstances they cannot sustain students in school and thus they have to seek help from parents to meet some of the needs and that prompts them to send the students home for money.
Muchiri said despite the prohibition, some MPs issue bursaries to day secondary school students at their own risk to help poor parents.
He said owing to the dire situation, he is ready to give bursaries to most day secondary students even if he will be taken to court, as the money sent to schools is never enough and learners from poor households cannot pay more.
“As members of Parliament at the National Assembly, we are trying to see how to navigate the issue,” he said, thanking principals for seeking alternative sources of funds.
Muchiri acknowledged President Uhuru Kenyatta’s directives to all day secondary schools’ principals not to send away students who do not pay fees.
He at the same time expressed disappointment for failure by the government to prepare well to prevent Covid-19 infection in schools after nine months’ of closure.
Muchiri lamented that teachers were at great risk of contracting the virus in congested classrooms. He said he expected the Education ministry to issue guidelines on tent acquisition and payments to tackle the crowding problem but that was not done.
He also criticised the Teachers Service Commission for trying to kill Knut, appealing to teachers to stand firm and not allow the move arguing that trade unions are very important in fighting for workers' rights.
