President William Ruto has assured parents and learners that his administration has put in place necessary plans and released funds to schools to ensure smooth learning.
He also announced the distribution of thousands of bags of subsidised fertiliser to farmers across the country will starts on Monday.A bag will cost Sh3,500, down from Sh6,000 market price.
Ruto spoke during a service at Deliverance Church in Ruai, Nairobi, where he also disclosed that state agencies would be barred from taking the Kenya Revenue Authority to court over tax disputes.
The President, who was accompanied by his deputy Rigathi Gachagua, said the government has disbursed Sh36 billion capitation and distributed books to schools.
“We have released about Sh36 billion to ensure that all our children get everything in school — books, teachers and all those other things that are needs for the learning are ready,” he said.
Ruto said the Teachers Service Commission has completed the recruitment of 30,000 new teachers as part of the government’s plans to ensure smooth learning.
About one million students who sat the KCPE exam last year are reporting to secondary schools, Form One, starting Monday.
Last week, a similar number reported to Junior Secondary Schools amid complaints of inadequate resources, including teachers and textbooks.
Students join other classes in primary and secondary schools on January 23.
The government pays capitation for free primary education and subsidised secondary schools.
“As our children go back to school from Monday, we have made adequate arrangements so they can learn in an environment that is uninterrupted,” the President said.
“I want to ask parents, guardians, teachers and all citizens to allow our children to go back to school without hurdles so that we can provide the environment for our children to access education seamlessly,” he added.
Turning to agriculture, the President said about five million farmers registered by government can now access the "cheap" fertiliser in stores near them as distribution of thousands of bags continues.
“From Monday, they can buy fertiliser from any store of NPBC and other outlets that we have identified from across Kenya,” he said.
Last week, DP Gachagua flagged off the distribution of fertiliser in Mombasa.
The President said the decision to subsidise the commodity is part of his administration’s plan to reduce the cost of production and increase productivity to enhance the country’s food security.
“We have believed that the way to reduce the cost of living is to produce food. And producing food is to support our farmers to help us produce that food,” he said.
On the raging debate on taxes, the President the government has asked all state agencies battling tax-related cases with KRA in court to withdraw them.
Going forward, he disclosed, his administration will issue a circular that will bar all state entities from taking the taxman to court over taxes.
“So, we are asking, and in fact, there will be a circular that says all government agencies cannot take KRA to court. If there is a challenge, let there be a discussion between the various agencies and KRA and sort out issues outside of court,” he held.
“We cannot be using public money to go to court so that we stop paying taxes that will support public entities. We have to be united, seamless and organised,” the President added.
(Edited by V. Graham)
