Parents, teachers clash over Sh24b laptops for schools project

NAIROBI, KENYA: Education stakeholders have clashed over the handling of the laptops for Standard One pupils by the Jubilee Government.

Teachers now want the Sh24.6 billion meant for the initiative to be redirected towards the hiring of an additional 40,000 teachers.

But parents insist that the computers must be delivered to children before the end of the year.

The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) and Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) Wednesday blamed Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi for ‘failing Kenyans’. “We shall move to court to compel the ministry officials to explain why they betrayed the conscience of the children and parents,” said Kuppet Secretary General Akello Misori.

He faulted Kaimenyi’s leadership, warning that the education sector was ‘collapsing’ under his watch.

“Everything is going wrong under his watch and we as the major stakeholders are getting concerned. “Look, he has refused to appoint chief executive officers at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development and the Kenya National Examinations Council and he doesn’t see the crisis there,” reiterated Misori.

Knut Secretary General Wilson Sossion and National Treasurer Albanus Mutisya Wednesday said teachers’ deficit was growing wider and demanded the money be used to hire new tutors.

ANXIETY

“We currently have a gap of 80,000 teachers yet they are not sure whether they should implement the laptops project,” said Mutisya.

Sossion said children had been anxious for a very long time and warned that the gadgets must be made available as promised.

“But as they work out those details let them employ more teachers,” he said.

The duo spoke to The Standard on phone from New York. The Teachers Service Commission is still recruiting 5,000 teachers using funds allocated to it this financial year.

VETTING PROCESS

Commission secretary Gabriel Lengoiboni said the process has reached the vetting stage at the head office. But Kaimenyi Wednesday said the laptops must still be delivered to the Standard One pupils.

“We must respect the court’s decision but I can assure you that the dreams of the children are still valid,” he said. The Education CS said the ministry tender committee will sit soon to begin the process all over again. “We shall start the process again very soon. We cannot lose hope. And we must forge the best way forward,” he said.

Kenya National Parents and Teachers Association (KNPTA) National Chairman Nathan Barasa said parents are disappointed at the way the ministry handled the mega project.

“This is unbelievable and we cannot forgive them for telling lies to our children. “They had waited for over one year and its unfathomable that they will be waiting longer,” said Barasa.

Elimu Yetu Coalition Coordinator Ouko Muthoni also expressed disappointment at the process. “We want the exercise to start immediately because this is a pledge that was made by the Head of State.

“We cannot afford to lie to children,” she maintained.

The Government last week rolled out a pilot programme to establish preparedness in the realisation of the project.