Knut,Kuppet issue ultimatum over FPE funds

By Augustine Oduor

Confusion has marred release of some Sh11.3 billion for free primary education to public schools.

The Treasury remained mum on Wednesday even as the Ministry of Education officials blamed it over the delay to release of the funds.

The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) and Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers have now issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Government to release the funds or they call for mass action.

Knut secretary general Okuta Osiany and national chairman Wilson Sossion said they will ask teachers not to keep children in school after seven days elapse.  Four weeks after schools opened for the second term the Government is yet to release FPE funds.

The Standard also learnt on Wednesday that the Kenya Booksellers and Stationery Association have already moved to court to compel schools to release more than Sh2 billion debt that accrued from last year’s supply of books and stationery. Education minister Mutula Kilonzo has accused the Treasury of creating the impasse.

He said education stakeholders agreed on capitation from the time free education was launched and the cash must be availed because it is ring fenced. “Anyone who thinks that he cannot pay the money is playing around with implementation of the new Constitution,” he said.