467 tablets missing in West Pokot schools

Pupils of Lopelekwa Primary School in Pokot South, West Pokot County learn how to use tablets in March 2019. The county has lost hundreds of such tablets. [File, Standard]

At least 467 tablets distributed under the digital literacy program to primary schools in West Pokot County have been stolen or are missing.

A generator worth over Sh17 million can also not be traced.

The revelation was made in a report by the county director of education Jacob Onyiego to the development implementation coordination committee.

Mr Onyiego said 19,394 tablets for learners and 660 laptops for teachers were dispatched to 330 schools in the area.

North Pokot Sub-county lost the most devices at 196, followed by West Pokot (106), Kipkomo (88), Pokot Central (74) and South Pokot at three devices.

Onyiego said his office was working closely with the office of the county director of Teachers’ Service Commission to ensure that all head teachers affected accounted for the lost gadgets.

"Teachers responsible will face disciplinary action and pay for the lost tablets and generator,” he said.

He added that his department has put measures to ensure transferred school heads handed over properly.

"It has come to our attention that during transfers, no proper documentation of all school assets is done. We have instructed head teachers to ensure that they give us a quarterly report on the same".

He observed that most of the schools have not even reported the lost items to the police, adding that affected headmasters have been given seven days to account for them.

"It has come to our realization that most of the teachers have not even made an effort to report for the lost items and we have given them seven days to account for them.” said the director.

Okello called on schools to work closely with the security officers in ensuring that the safety of the devices.