Let schools buy their own textbooks

The move by Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i to stop teachers from buying books might not solve the problem of textbook to pupils ratio.

Dr Matiang'i is doing a good job but he was supposed to do further research from the teachers on why students are still sharing textbooks.

Maybe even the money that reaches the schools is not the same as what is recorded in his office. The problem might not even be schools but the channel that the money follows before it reaches schools.

There might be corrupt officials tampering with the money, leading to the purchase of fewer books. I would also question the criteria used when determining the amount that goes to different schools.

Some schools have a high number of students, such that buying books for each student becomes a hard task. I would suggest the ministry first ensures the money sent to schools reflects the number of students in that school.

Sending a lot of money to schools with only few students amounts to wastage. Similarly, when you send little money to a school with many students, you do a lot of injustice to the learners.