Teachers decry delayed issuance of school title deeds in Laikipia
Naka Primary School pupils demonstrate on May 19, 2016 in Nakuru against alleged land grabbing of their school by an individual. Teachers in Laikipia County have decried delayed issuance of title deeds to over 100 primary and secondary public school. FILE PHOTO | SULEIMAN MBATIAH |NATION MEDIA GROUP
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In an interview with the Nation, Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers Laikipia branch Executive Secretary Ndung’u Wangenye said the institutions were yet to acquire the crucial documents, sparking fears of encroachment by developers.
A teachers’ union is up in arms over delayed issuance of title deeds to more than 100 primary and secondary public schools in Laikipia County.
In an interview with the Nation, Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) Laikipia branch Executive Secretary Ndung’u Wangenye said the institutions were yet to acquire the crucial documents, sparking fears of encroachment by developers.
Mr Wangenye said despite a Presidential directive to the ministry of Lands nearly two years ago to ensure the institutions acquire title deeds, they are yet to get the documents.
Mr Wangenye accused the county government of Laikipia for derailing the process, saying they are sluggish in formalizing the issuance of the title deeds to help them secure their lands.
According to Mr Wangenye lack of title deeds may lead to them being deregistered as well as missing a chance of serving as national examination centres.
For a school to be recognized as an examination centre by the Kenya National Examination Council(KNEC)it must possess a valid title deed of the land where it stands or lease of over 99 years.
“Land belonging to the schools might be grabbed or encroached on. We can’t just sit and watch because that is a looming education disaster,” said Mr Wangenye.
The union has now issued a seven days ultimatum to the county government to fast track distribution of the documents for the schools.
