Free learning cash out - Kaimenyi

The government has released funds for the free primary and secondary school education.

According to Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi, the money was released on Friday last week.

But teachers said they are yet to receive any money, a situation that is likely to affect four practical examinations.

According to the Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association Chairman John Awiti, as at Monday, the funds were not in the schools’ accounts.

“We need the money to buy chemicals and apparatus for practical examinations,” he said in reference to the Kenya Certificate of Secondary School Education (KCSE) exams.

“The Cabinet Secretary should check with his officials if the money was deposited at all,” he told the Nation by phone on Monday.

While addressing journalists at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development on Monday, Prof Kaimenyi said if there is any delay, it was due to “circumstances beyond our control”.

The CS was speaking after presiding over the signing of performance contracts for heads of public educational institutions in all the 47 counties.

TEACHERS WORRIED
Last week both primary and secondary schools warned of a financial crisis because of the delay in remitting the funds.

Mr Shem Ndolo, the Kenya Primary Schools Heads Association chairman, said the government had not only failed to remit the free primary education funds that it had retained for the second term, but also for this term as well.

Mr Awiti warned that due to the delay, schools have not bought the tools for the KCSE exams that started Monday.

“The exams have started and we have not bought the equipment required by candidates. Few people stock the items, we fear there would be congestion if the cash is delayed further,” said Mr Awiti.

In Kisii County more than 400 headteachers are worried that their students may not sit the practical exams due to lack of chemicals.

On Monday, the principals told the Nation that they were yet to receive money from the government to buy the chemicals.

The students are scheduled to sit Biology practical exams this Friday.

BOOK INDUSTRY SUFFERING

On Monday, Mr Jairus Onchoki, the Kisii County Kenya Secondary School Heads Association chairman said if the government would not release the money to them by Wednesday, then they exams would not take place.

At the same time, the delay in disbursement of funds for free primary and subsidised secondary education, is hurting the book industry.

Booksellers are owed Sh5 billion for books and stationery supplied to primary and secondary schools since January, according to the Kenya Booksellers and Stationers Association.

Chairman Arthur Kamau told journalists in Nairobi the teachers’ five-week strike affected the disbursement of the final 20 per cent of the funds.

“We don’t understand why the government is sitting on this money,” said Mr Kamau.

Reported by Samuel Karanja, Patrick Langat, Dave Opiro and Dennis Odunga