The Mountain Journal
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Education stakeholders have been advised to enhance sound finance and procurement systems and comply with the laid-down requirements, as the office of the Auditor General has been assigned the role of inspecting the books of accounts.
In the virtual meeting, presided over by the head of the Public Service, Mr Felix Koskei, there were calls for the review of the grade 10 admission in the senior schools, after the national and extra county schools took the lion’s share, leaving the day schools empty.
In the engagement that brought together 75,000 persons from the secondary school section were unapproved fees for the PTA programmes, a lack of school improvement programmes, among others.
Koskei warned the school management against charging unauthorised fees, saying the vice discourages many of the parents from taking their children to school.
“ I advise the schools that feel the fees they are charging are low and unable to meet their obligation to engage the Ministry of Education instead of transferring the same to the parents,” said the head of the public service.
He further warned the school’s management against the manipulation of students’ enrollment data in the Nemis, seeking to access more resources through the capitation.
“ Data manipulation in schools will not be entertained; thus, all the details transmitted must be accurate and verified,” warned the head of public service
The government, he added, was interested in effective procurement and finance management systems, as he asked the office of the audit to enhance oversight on the utilisation of funds.
Education Principal Secretary Prof Julius Bitok, on his part, acknowledged the existence of Sh 22 billion capitation arrears sought by the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (Kessha).
“ The government is seeking more money from the treasury and parliament to ensure that when the schools open, the resources are disbursed as we did in December, ready for the first term,” said Bitok.
In the forum, an educationist, Susan Oyatsi, revealed that they are used by the management to demand more levies from the parents, limiting those from the poor backyard from accessing education.
She said the parents have expressed displeasure with the formation of the groups as they are the gateways to ask for the unreceipted money.
“Also, the schools are faced with the unconfirmed students enrolment, excess textbooks,” said Oyatsi a NLC Nominee and a former teacher.
The chairman of the KESSA, Willy Kuria, said the schools are struggling owing to the low remittance of capitation by the Ministry of Education.
He said the fee structure was reviewed in 2014, as the schools have continued receiving Sh 22,400 per learner despite the high inflation rates.
“ The schools seek the government to consider clearing of Sh 22 billion capitation arrears as the majority are reeling in huge debts,” said Kuria, also the Principal at Murang’a High School. Today(Thursday), there will be an engagement of the primary schools stakeholders from all 47 counties.
