- Baya warned all heads that they will be reprimanded if they send away students yet the government has released tuition fees.
- He called for the ban on remedial classes in Kilifi North.
Image: ELIAS YAA
Kilifi North MP Owen Baya has criticised school heads for sending away students over funds for remedial and lunch.
The MP said headteachers pay little attention to the students' success, instead, dwelling on extorting money from parents.
Speaking when he officially handed over nine classrooms at Basi Primary School on Thursday, Baya said the trend is one of the reasons the county is recording poor results in the national examinations.
“Many students spend very little time with their teachers because they are always sent home to collect money. The government has released capitation to schools, but head teachers still send them home to collect money for lunch and remedial classes," he said.
"Most of the parents are poor so whenever a student is sent home he will stay there for even a month as the parent is looking for the money. All this time other students are learning.”
Baya warned all heads that they will be reprimanded if they send away students yet the government has released tuition fees. He called for the ban on remedial classes in Kilifi North.
“The government should move and make sure there are no remedial lessons in schools because they have been turned into cash cows by teachers. I do not want any head teacher to have remedial classes in his school. If this happens, I will deal with that head teacher,” he said.
The deputy Majority leader in the National Assembly castigated school heads for holding KCPE and KCSE certificates for students over fee arrears.
Baya said he will move a motion in the National Assembly to delink the Kenya National Examination Council from schools. He said Knec should send the original certificates directly to the students and a copy to the school.
“Students should avail email addresses during registration or the Knec portal should allow students to download their original certificates and result slips. This will allow students to immediately proceed to University,” the MP said.
Baya said most students cannot go to universities because schools have withheld their original certificates.
Kenya Muslim Youth Alliance Kilifi county coordinator Asili Randani said many students who completed high school are stuck at home due to their certificates and results being held by their schools.
“Imagine a student who scored a B+ is still at home because of Sh10,000 fee balance. The schools should give these certificates so that the students can proceed with their education,” he said.