Teachers plan strike over funds

Teachers have given the government a one-week ultimatum to release the delayed free learning funds or face a strike.

Treasury must send the money, some Sh16 billion, to schools by next Wednesday, the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) said on Wednesday. (READ:Teachers vow to strike for cash)

Union chairman Wilson Sossion termed the delay in the disbursement of the funds as “unwarranted”.

“It is not a mere threat and after June 8, the Constitution gives us the mandate to take any action we deem fit,” Mr Sossion told journalists at Knut headquarters in Nairobi.

The union officials said that what they were demanding was allocated in the budget and there was no reason why school managers should be made to suffer in the performance of their duties.

According to the union, the government is obliged to remit the funds in three instalments of 50 per cent in first term, 30 per cent in second term and 20 per cent in third term to both secondary and primary schools.

However, the government is yet to pay Sh1.8 billion for free primary education this term. In total, the Treasury is yet to disburse Sh11.3 billion for the free primary and free day secondary education programmes.

“Head teachers and principals have resorted to taking loans to fund school activities,” Knut secretary-general David Okuta said.

“Creditors are now camping in schools and there is little learning going on,” he added.

Acting Education permanent secretary George Godia last week said the delay in the disbursement of the funds was occasioned by lengthy budgetary consultations the ministry has to go through to send the money.

Meanwhile, booksellers in Naivasha have boycotted supplying stationery to local schools citing high levels of corruption.

The chairman of the Kenya Booksellers and Stationery Association, Naivasha chapter, Mr Joel Mungai, on Wednesday claimed that some headteachers had been demanding bribes before awarding them tenders to supply stationery.

According to him, the headteachers usually ask for a 20 per cent commission. This, Mr Mungai said, had forced some of the booksellers to close down their businesses.

“In some cases, the headteachers have even asked us to supply half of the stationery that was to be tendered and then we share the remaining money,” he said.

The corruption has seen more than 46,000 pupils and students in public primary and secondary schools go without writing and reading materials.

Naivasha Education Board acting chairman Michael Kioni confirmed that there was corruption in the supply of stationery and promised to crack the whip on the vice.

“This is affecting our schools as some children cannot afford to buy books,” he said.