Kilonzo proposes education calendar be altered

By Titus Too

A Cabinet Minister has called for change in education calendar to have schools start programmes in September to rhyme with the annual national budget. Education minister Mutula Kilonzo said Kenyans should debate and allow academic programmes to start in September soon after the budgetary allocations are done in June.

No wastage of resources

“A larger proportion of the national budget goes to the Education Ministry. School calendar should start in September to ensure there is no wastage of resources,” he said. Mr Kilonzo added: “Since joining the Ministry of Education, I have noticed there is a serious wastage of national skills and resources.

I have been fighting for Free Primary Education (FPE), secondary tuition and better pay for teachers but the problem is that the school calendar starts in January when the budget is read in June or July,” said Kilonzo. He said the programme conforms with international standards and the country can adopt it either in 2014 or 2015 to have school programmes synchronised with the national budget.

Kilonzo spoke on Friday during the fourth graduation and golden jubilee celebration at the Rift Valley Technical Training Institute (RVTTI) Eldoret.  Higher Education minister Margaret Kamar, Teachers Service Commission Secretary Gabriel Lengoiboni and RVTTI Principal Edwin Tarno among other senior officials were present. Kilonzo at the same time warned teachers against confiscating certificates of students who sit national examinations before clearing school fees.

“Under the new KNEC law, school heads will be breaking the law if they denied students from challenged families certificates because of non-clearance of fees,” he said. The two ministers also said there will be no further takeover of tertiary institutions by universities.

Ms Kamar said a Bill barring invasion of tertiary institutions have passed through parliamentary committee on education and will soon be in Parliament. “We want to protect all middle level institutions whether private or public to ensure production of middle level skilled personnel for industrial development,” said Kamar. During the ceremony, 684 graduands received diploma and certificate awards for respective courses.