Teachers’ Unions Threaten Education Cabinet Secretary
Akelo Misori, the secretary general of the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), has reprimanded Ezekiel Machogu, the cabinet secretary for education, claiming that Kenyans are growing suspicious of him as a result of his ambiguous comments regarding school capitation funds.
Speaking at the 46th Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA) Conference recently at Mombasa’s Sheikh Zayed Hall, Misori claimed that many schools were yet to receive the Ksh24 billion in capitation funds that the Ministry has released.
“Despite Parliament’s modest funding allocations for the crucial issue of capitation, financial years pass before the equivalent amount is given to schools. I am pleased that Dr. Belio Kipsang, the Principal Secretary (PS), and Hon. Ezekiel Machogu, our Cabinet Secretary, will be present. The faith of Kenyans is being rapidly eroded by these individuals, he claimed.
He asked, “How can a whole Cabinet Secretary promise Parliament and KESSHA that he will release Ksh28 billion, only to release Ksh24 billion, and the same has not yet reached many schools even today?”
The present quarterly capitation system has been abolished, and they will return to disbursing capitation on a 50:30:20 ratio for first, second, and third terms, respectively, according to Machogu’s remarks at the same conference, downplaying the emotions.
Teachers’ Unions Threaten Education Cabinet Secretary
“I am aware of the difficulties and limitations these delays [in capitation payout] provide for the operations at your institutions. In order to speed up the flow of funds, we are tirelessly striving to streamline the distribution systems by utilising cutting-edge technologies and automated procedures, the official added.
Also Read:Â Machogu set to scrap off quarterly disbursement of capitation
Misori also accused CS Machogu and PS Kipsang of failing to adequately oversee Junior Secondary Schools (JSSs), many of which he claimed were non-operational, particularly in Mombasa.
These two officials also chose to ignore the issue of the Junior Secondary Schools’ failure to operate. I dare the Cabinet Secretary to visit a random Mombasa primary school and report to Kenyans the type of instruction he has seen,” he remarked.
Although the CBC, free secondary education, and the 100 percent transition policy were all initiatives that the KUPPET leader said his organisation completely supported, the government had not yet put in place the necessary infrastructure and mechanisms to facilitate these changes.
Unfortunately, the government has not made the necessary investments to meet its lofty goals. Over the past fifteen years, student enrollment in our schools has doubled, but instructors’ numbers have not changed. Nearly 40% of instructors in public schools are employed by boards of management since new recruits mostly replace those leaving the service, according to Misori.
Concerning the welfare of teachers, Misori gave the school administrators assurance that they will receive a new compensation package this year as they started a fresh trip to bargain with the government.
President Ruto is now totally in command of public expenditure after passing his first budget. We welcome his budgetary provisions for hiring new intern teachers and promoting existing instructors. The discussions for a new CBA to give teachers their well-deserved raise will then be reopened. He spoke.
