'Call for free secondary education is hollow': Kuppet

Kuppet National Secretary-General Akelo Misori speaks to journalists at Chulaimbo Secondary School on June 27, 2017 with his Kisumu County counterpart Zablon Awange (left) and Homa Bay County’s Stephen Yogo . PHOTOS | JUSTUS OCHIENG’ | NATION MEDIA GROUP

Teachers’ are sceptical about promises for free secondary education by the two leading political formations in the country ahead of the August 8 elections.

Both the Jubilee Party and the National Supper Alliance (Nasa) have vowed to offer free secondary education if elected.

President Uhuru Kenyatta, in the Jubilee manifesto launched on Monday, said he will ensure free secondary education beginning January 2018.

Nasa Presidential candidate Raila Odinga has, however, stated his government will ensure free secondary education from September 2017, in his manifesto launched on Tuesday.

NOT VIABLE

The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) has remained sceptical on the promise, saying it is not viable.

Kuppet Secretary-General Akelo Misori questioned how the Jubilee government will ensure free secondary education “while they have not been able to deliver affordable secondary and free primary education.”

“I don’t agree with either of them (Jubilee and Nasa) when they talk of free secondary education in their manifesto. Disbursing Sh 1,300 for primary school children for a whole year has become a nightmare and I wonder how education at the higher level would be free,” Mr Misori said.

He went on: “I can’t understand how a government to be would give Sh 89,000 per child in public secondary school.”

He said the parties' promises on free secondary education are only aimed at whipping up support from a "desperate" public.

COMPROMISE QUALITY

“I think they are just talking like this because they know Kenyans are desperate and they want free things. Education to this extent cannot be free,” he said.

Mr Misori, who spoke during the Kisumu County Kuppet branch general assembly at Chulaimbo Secondary School accompanied by national vice-chairman Julius Korir, said the move would compromise the quality of education.

“We are not going to deliver on that mandate because even the existing promises this administration (Jubilee) has failed to deliver,” he added.

“Nasa is saying they are going to give free secondary education in September and Jubilee in January.

"But Jubilee has failed to give a tranche of Sh 600 per student in secondary now. In fact they gave Sh 280 this term and the second term is coming to a close. So how will they get this money?” posed Mr Misori.

Kuppet Kisumu County Executive Secretary Zablon Awange urged President Kenyatta and Mr Odinga to focus on reducing value-added tax on textbooks to reduce the cost of books and boost the quality of education in the country.

“The focus should also be on teachers’ remuneration and employment of more staff as a holistic package otherwise the call for free secondary education is hollow,” Mr Awange said.

He went on: “Proper planning is necessary but free education without factoring in teachers recruitment and salary is baseless.

"In a nutshell, they must consider funds, human resource (teachers), infrastructure, time frame and (the student) population.”

NARROW SCOPE

Mr Misori also criticised Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i’s proposal that only one textbook per subject be used in schools.

“He (Matiang’i) is now saying he is going to use one textbook per subject in school. That is limiting freedom of thought and marginalising academics to a narrow scope of understanding,” the Kuppet official said.

He added: “We can regulate what is in the syllabus and curriculum but there must be freedom for those who want to contribute to knowledge through many publishers so that we get exact value for knowledge.”