Matiang’i bars Musau Ndunda-led lobby from forming school parents' associations

Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i speaks during the release of the 2015 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education results at the Kenya National Examination Council offices in Nairobi on December 30, 2015. The CS has stopped with immediate effect the Kenya National Parents Association from forming parents associations in schools. PHOTO | SALATON NJAU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • In a letter dated January 25 and addressed to Knap Secretary-General Musau Ndunda, Dr Matiang'i said the association is not the umbrella body of parents anticipated in the Basic Education Act.
  • The Cabinet secretary also stopped schools from remitting any money to the association.
  • Dr Matiang'i added that a review of the association's by-laws, and specifically Article 1 on membership, shows that it does not provide for the county nor school parents associations as members but instead opens up the umbrella body to individual membership.

Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i has stopped the Kenya National Parents Association (Knap) from forming parents associations in schools with immediate effect.

In a letter dated January 25 and addressed to Knap Secretary-General Musau Ndunda, Dr Matiang'i said the association is not the umbrella body of parents anticipated in the Basic Education Act.

The Cabinet secretary also stopped schools from remitting any money to the association.

“The Basic Education Act No 14 of 2013 that came into effect on January 25, 2013 legalises and provides a role for the parents’ association to allow for their effective participation in the development and welfare of their children,” said Dr Matiang'i.

He observed that a thorough review of the Knap constitution revealed that it is not the umbrella body of parents anticipated in the Act.

“At any rate, such an umbrella body can only be legitimised by a bottom-up, rather a top-down process.

Going by your constitution and the by-laws, your association has no legal basis under the Basic Education Act,” he said.

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Dr Matiang'i added that a review of the associations by-laws, and specifically Article 1 on membership, shows that it does not provide for the county nor school parents associations as members but instead opens up the umbrella body to individual membership.

“This is inconsistent with the spirit and interest of the Basic Education Act, 2013,” said the Cabinet secretary.

“I am instructing the Principal Secretary for Basic Education to communicate this information to all county directors, who should, in turn, effect this directive by, among others, stopping any remittance or fees to your organisation, from schools or institutions under the ministry,” said Dr Matiang'i.

He went on: “The correspondence revokes the content of the letter from the office of the Minister for Education addressed to your organisation dated February 21, 2013.”

On Wednesday, Mr Ndunda could not be reached for comment, indicating through a text message that he was held up in a meeting.

The association has filed more than 15 cases in court over the setting up of school boards, thereby paralysing activities in schools.

In the past, Mr Ndunda has insisted that his association has a right to form parents associations and has demanded millions of shillings from schools.

Early last year, the association demanded Sh65 million from 25,000 primary and 7,700 secondary schools at a rate of Sh2,000 per school.
The money was to support the activities of the association.

Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association John Awiti this week complained about alleged harassment of school heads by the association.

The Kenya National union of Teachers and the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers have also called for the association to be banned, saying it does not represent parents and was harassing teachers.