Kenyan Schools threaten to send learners home over cash

By Augustine Oduor

Learning in public schools will be disrupted next week if the government fails to release Sh10 billion free education cash.

School heads on Tuesday threatened to send learners back home this weekend citing lack of funds to sustain them.

In a tough message to the Ministry of Education and the Treasury, the head teachers said the schools are not running normally.

“We do not have learning materials, we have not paid our staff and the costs of commodities have risen and our suppliers have withdrawn. How are we expected to keep children in schools?” asked Cleopas Tirop, the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association national chairman.

Education PS George Godia however asked for patience and noted that there is no cause for worry as the cash has been ring fenced in the budget. “There is no need to worry because we shall send the cash. There is just a slight delay,” he said on Tuesday.

But Tirop took issue with persistent delays in funds disbursement and termed it a ‘bad habit’ that works against achieving quality education.

Teacher unions and the National Parents Association  (NPA) also demanded that the cash be released before end of this week.

“These are harsh economic times and parents will not sit and watch their children sent home,” said NPA National Chairman Nathan Barasa.

dangerous trend

But the strongest message came from Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) national chairman Wilson Sossion. Said he: “This is a dangerous path that the government has taken. They should release the cash immediately because some schools are already closing down.”

He said Kenyans will have the government to blame incase schools turn chaotic because of delayed release of the funds.

“Suppliers have suspended their services yet these are debts owed against government grants. We demand that the cash be wired by end of this week before any child is sent home,” he said.

The Standard has learnt that the stationery and equipment suppliers have refused to restock on credit until Sh2 billion debt is settled.

The Kenya Booksellers and Stationers Association chairman John Mbugua said the debt accrued from last year’s supply of books and stationery supplies.

Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) national chairman Amboko Milemba said the union will advise its members to close schools next week.