State releases Sh9 billion as schools open for new term

Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i. (Photo: Boniface Okendo/Standard)

The Government has released Sh9 billion for the free education programme ahead of this week's reopening of schools.

Of the total amount, Sh5.5 billion will go towards building 2,000 new classrooms to increase the capacity of the current Form One places by 90,000.

The money will also be used to construct 1,000 science laboratories and a similar number of sanitary facilities, according to Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i.

Some Sh3.5 billion will cater for free primary and free day secondary education.

And Sunday, book publishers pleaded with the Ministry of Education to lift the ban on buying textbooks by schools.

Kenya Publishers Association (KPA) officials noted that one year has elapsed since Dr Matiang'i promised to release a new books policy.

"We are still waiting for that new policy. But now that they have sent money to schools, we request him to allow schools to buy books," said Lawrence Njagi, the new KPA chairman.

The CS suspended the procurement of books by schools, saying the ministry would review the distribution methods of textbooks to schools to curb theft of public funds.

"The (current) method is full of serious accountability issues," he said, adding that the pupil-to-book ratio stood at 5:1 against the recommended 1:1.

Currently, each primary school pupil gets about Sh761 per year towards the purchase of books. This translates to about Sh8 billion.

Each secondary school students gets about Sh4,792 annually, translating to about Sh10 billion.

Outgoing KPA chairman David Waweru said schools should be allowed to buy textbooks because the national examinations were not far off.

"These (exam) candidates need revision books and schools should be allowed to buy books to enable them to perform well," he said.

Publishers have in the past claimed that booksellers conspire with school heads to steal cash meant for buying books under the free education programme.

Mr Njagi said the Government must tighten its auditing processes to ensure that money is used for the intended purpose.

The publishers also asked Matiang'i to intervene in the tax waiver debate to ease the burden on parents.