Bungoma County Kuppet Chairman David Barasa has faulted the pronouncement by the state that fees should now be collected via the e-citizen platform.
The announcement was made by Principal Secretary for Basic Education Belio Kipsang.
National Kuppet Secretary General Akelo Misori says that the decision was reached without consultations.
In his address to the press in Bungoma on Tuesday, the branch Chairperson noted that the move is a recipe for fresh chaos in the Education sector adding that already the sector is reeling from the confusion on capitation to schools.
“Our schools aren’t being capitated enough, the things that CS Ezekiel Machogu says are very different from what is reaching schools,” the unionist noted.
Barasa said that the move by the government to submit fees digitally will kill schools that have become innovative to start Income income-generating activities (IGA).
He argued that some parents are paying fees by offering labour or supplying firewood, bricks or even donating animals which are valued in exchange for fees.
“This e-Citizen thing is going to lock many parents out, how will someone take bricks to e-Citizen?" he posed, the state should revise that move as soon as possible.
He added that using little cash collected from parents, Principals have decided to look for innovative ways to manage schools and the fee burden, noting that not all parents are in a position to raise fees in cash.
“What our politicians and people in government should know is that schools have been surviving with little capitation because principals have started looking for innovative ways to run institutions, now when you order them to pay fees via e-Citizen it will kill plans of many,” Barasa noted.
The Unionists further questioned the government about what they are exactly looking for in schools saying that the government has all the information about schools.
“I don’t think there is anything that the government needs to know from schools because all the information is with them unless they want schools to start creating ghost accounts,” he posed.
Barasa added:
“It should be noted that the capitation that comes to schools is very little. The tuition accounts in schools are barely being managed. Schools are unable to run and even buy chemicals. If we are going to collect this money to a central place then we start struggling to get remittances, we will be incapacitating schools even more.”
He said that the move would delay remittance from the national government.
