- Gathungu said the audit was motivated by Parliament highlighting poor quality infrastructure in schools.
- A physical inspection revealed that different type of material was used for different schools, including bricks, mud, timber and iron sheets.
Image: SHABAN OMAR
Auditor General Nancy Gathungu has urged the Ministry of Education to come up with guiding policies on infrastructure standards.
The policies are to be implemented during the construction of classrooms and other infrastructure.
Gathungu said the lack of harmonised standards has seen schools come up with poor quality infrastructure.
The audit focused on desks, classrooms, toilets, administration offices, and water availability in public primary schools in the financial years, 2015/2016 and 2019/2020.
In a report submitted to the national assembly, Gathungu said the definition of infrastructure standards is not adequate.
“It could be a contributing factor to the poor conditions of facilities in some of the sampled schools,” she said.
She urged the relevant authorities at the Ministry to direct school heads on infrastructure standards.
“Give guidance beyond classroom dimension and the number of students to ensure that schools strive to keep up with these standards,” she said.
As witnessed in several parts of the country, schools are struggling with poor and dilapidated structures.
For instance, Kisauni Primary School in Mombasa had 1,597 learners using only 18 classrooms.
This means one classroom had 89 students.
Another school in Baringo county, Kotoron Primary School, had 10 students in eight classes, a total population of 81 learners.
Gathungu said the audit was motivated by Parliament discussions of poor quality infrastructure in schools.
The counties sampled were Bungoma, Kisumu, Busia, Baringo, Kilifi, Nyandarua, Makueni, and Mombasa where 55 schools were visied.
The Auditor General called for amendment of the Basic Education Act 2015, which she said only specifies the class size in terms of dimensions and number of pupils per class.
“There is no proper guidance on the materials used and maintenance standards for facilities n schools,” she said.
She said this poses a risk to learners who might be subjected to any random type of structure and facilities.
Image: ELIAS YAA
“This leaves room for any type of structure to be used as a classroom, at the same time any type of material can be used for construction,” she said.
A physical inspection conducted by the Auditor’s team revealed that different of material were used for different schools for the same function, such as walls, in different schools. They include bricks, mud, timber and iron sheets.
“Schools didn’t have guidance on maintenance in terms of maintenance, including how regular and extensive. As a result, classrooms and other builds were left to deteriorate."
Gathungu faulted some schools "for allowing students to use classrooms that were incomplete, with unfinished windows, floor, and walls.
The directorate of quality assurance is mandated with monitoring school infrastructure standards.
However, the Auditor General said the ministry is faced with a shortage of quality assurance officers.
Gathungu faulted the ministry for too few officials in charge of monitoring and assessment.
The Ministry of Education is on the spot for hiring fewer quality assurance officers than required in the 47 counties.
Gathungu revealed that out of the ideal 858 officers, the counties have only 385 officers.
“This reflects a deficit of 473 officers,” the report reads.
The report which was submitted to the national assembly further discloses that the country has a total 55 per cent deficit of officers.
The Ministry of education said Nakuru and Nairobi counties have the highest number of officers.
(Edited by V. Graham)