Jubilee’s Joseph Kiuna wants laptop project halted, government to address other education challenges

Njoro MP Joseph Kiuna. [PHOTO: STANDARD/FILE]

KARANJA NJOROGE

NAKURU, KENYA: A Jubilee Member of Parliament has faulted plans by the government to roll out the laptop project before addressing other challenges facing the education sector.

Njoro MP Joseph Kiuna said most public schools in the country lack basic facilities and the laptop project should currently not be a major priority for the Government.

Kiuna said the implementation of the project should be halted for now and the funds diverted to addressing other critical needs in the sector.

The MP said recent Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) results where public schools were beaten by private schools proved that public institutions are faced with major challenges.

“Though the Laptop initiative is good we have many problems in the education sector especially in public schools and that should be the priority for now,” he added.

Speaking to the Standard Kiuna said the government should instead hire more teachers and provide learning facilities to public primary schools.

The second term TNA MP said though the provision of the laptops to standard one pupils was one of the key campaign promises  for the Jubilee  Government it should be shelved.

Education Cabinet Secretary Professor Jacob Kaimenyi has said the one laptop per child project is on course despite the hiccups that have beset the procurement process.

According to the CS the Government envisages the 1.2 million gadgets will be delivered to schools in the first quarter of the year.

At the same time Kiuna asked the Nakuru county Governor Kinuthia Mbugua to call a meeting of all local leaders to address the poor performance of the county in last year’s KCPE.

The MP said the results were shocking and stakeholders should urgently meet to establish the cause of the deteriorating standards.

The county dropped from position 26 to 31 in the results released on December 30 with most schools performing dismally as compared to previous years.

 None of the 12 Districts in the county appeared in the top 50 Districts ranking nationally.

Two of the Districts Subukia and Nakuru were ranked among the bottom 50 Districts nationally with a mean mark of 223 and 165 respectively.

The Governor has promised to form a task force to conduct an audit of the performance.

He has termed the results unacceptable and said parents and stakeholders will be involved in plans to address the poor performance.

“Those results are unacceptable and we will inform parents and stakeholders so that they can contribute to the task team,” he said.