Magoha warns against graft in Sh1.9 billion public school desk project

The government has said that there will be no room for deception in the supply of desks to public primary and secondary schools.

The government has allocated Sh1.9 billion to produce and distribute desks to 15 public schools in each of the sub-counties under the Economic Stimulus Programme for Locally Assembled Desks for Schools.

Education CS George Magoha said on Friday while issuing guidelines for the implementation of the project to County Commissioners at KICC hat the government has instituted various risk mitigation strategies to corruption in the project.

“This is not the time to ask ‘what’s in it for me? We are doing this for our children. As far as this project is concerned, there is nothing we cannot address. If there are bottlenecks, talk to us directly, not the usual bureaucratic practices,” Magoha said.

The CS added that Sh1.9 billion has been allocated under the Economic Stimulus programme, targeting SMEs and local artisans.

To ensure openness, transparency and non-discrimination in the project, the government has deployed a model that it used to identity beneficiaries of the Covid-19 weekly spends.

Interior PS Karanja Kibicho said that he is confident that the National Government Administration Officers (NGAO) will exercise enforcement discretion against anyone trying to interfere with the process.

“This is another reason we need government administrators. It is their responsibility to ensure there is integrity and transparency in this project,” Kibicho said.

The government will fund the prospective suppliers with up to 50 per cent front load , with the assumption that the majority might not have a capacity to deliver on such projects.

The project will see 622,367 desks, lockers and and chairsdelivered to the public schools in the country as the government continue to put up measures ahead of schools reopening.

Designed prototypes and technical specifications have been have been availed to all County Commissioners.