'Clueless!' PS Bitok draws fire over school fees, uniform confusion

Ichung'wa criticises Education PS Julius Bitok over inefficiency during the transition period. [File, Standard]

National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah criticised Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok, calling him ‘clueless’ over inefficiency during the transition period.

According to Ichung’wah, Bitok is out of touch with issues affecting ordinary Kenyans. 

‘’You have the most clueless PS in the Ministry of Education. He only sits in Nairobi and has no idea of what happens on the ground. Get out of your office in Nairobi, go to the ground and deal with the problems there,’’ Ichung’wah lamented.

Speaking on Wednesday, January 28, during the ongoing four-day legislative retreat in Naivasha, Ichung’wah accused the ministry of doing little in protecting parents from corrupt cartels on matters school uniforms.

"What happens in other civilised countries is that people just put on a different tie or a badge on their chest that will cost them five or ten shillings, while we're subjecting teachers to changing uniforms and feeding the corruption cartels by teachers and head teachers in our schools with cartels that are producing uniforms,’’ said  Ichung’wah. 

Ichung’wah, who was reacting to President William Ruto’s directive for Schools to allow grade 10 students to report with JSS uniform, accused the Education Minister of failing on their mandate.

‘’And that is why I see it as taking none other than the president to intervene on the matter of school uniform. You should not subject the president to being the one to intervene on school uniforms. It is you and your peers who should be doing that," he said.

Last week, speaking in Tharaka Nithi, Meru County,  Ruto directed all Grade 10 students to report to school, regardless of whether they have paid school fees or obtained uniforms.

He instructed chiefs to ensure that all learners report to school, including in their Junior Secondary School (JSS) uniforms.