Teachers now lay claim to laptops cash

Kuppet chairman Omboko Milemba.

By Allan Kisia

Kenya: The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) has challenged the government to implement the Standard One laptop project as scheduled in January next year.

The union’s national chairman Omboko Milemba said if the government will not do this, then the money set aside for the project should be used to improve the welfare of teachers.

Milemba argued that some of the teachers’ demands made during their last strike were not met because the project took priority.

“Leave and responsibility allowances went down the drain because of the laptop project. If the project does not commence in January, then this money should be used to pay teachers these allowances as had been demanded during the strike,” he stated.

Campaign promise

The laptop project was a key campaign promise of the Jubilee government and President Uhuru Kenyatta has repeatedly said his government would honour it.

Speaking via telephone to The Standard Monday, Milemba said the government informed teachers that the project would take off in January, making them back down on some of their demands.

“The government seems to be making Kenyans accept that the laptop project might not take off after all,” he added.

Last week, the government cancelled the laptops project tender after bidders exceeded budgetary projections. Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi announced the latest move after the lowest bidder quoted Sh32 billion against an anticipated budget of Sh20 billion.