CS Matiang'i says TSC has failed to discipline head teachers

Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i on Tuesday blamed the teachers’ employer for failure to discipline head teachers who have ignored school fees guidelines as MPs piled pressure on him to act.

Dr Matiang’i told the National Assembly Education Committee chaired by Emuhaya MP Wilbur Ottichilo that his ministry carried out an investigation early this year and submitted its report to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) for action.

“We submitted the report for action after we discovered that some school heads had ignored the guidelines. We keep getting this information and we share with the TSC and we believe they will act,” said Dr Matiang’i.

The commission, he said, was an independent team and, therefore, the ministry could not direct it on what to do as the employer of teachers.

However, MPs led by Kabando wa Kabando wondered why the Education ministry was sitting on the fence as parents were exploited by schools heads.

Mr Kabando said that because the ministry had failed to address the problem, the committee should step in and carry out an investigation, adding that the fee increase was inconveniencing parents and donors across the country.

“Parents plan for their children’s fees by December but when students report back to school in January, things are different. They are given extra charges,” said Mr Kabando.

The National Government Constituency Development Fund, donors and charity organisations that sponsor secondary school students were being burdened by the unplanned changes.

IGNORED GUIDELINES

He named Kapsabet Boys (Sh65,000), Mang’u High (Sh98,000), Upper Hill (Sh78,000), Nairobi School (Sh90,000), Karima Girls (Sh88,600), Maseno (Sh100,000) and Nyeri School (Sh85,000) as some of the institutions that had ignored the guidelines.

 Dr Matiang’i said he had not approved the decision by the above named schools to increase fees.

Under the guidelines, students in day secondary schools are expected to pay Sh9,374 and those in boarding schools Sh53,553, while the government pays Sh12,860 for every student in public secondary schools.

He said the government only approved fee increases after being satisfied that the schools needed the money for crucial projects.

Dr Matiang’i directed all the county directors of education to ensure they approve fee structures from January next year, noting they would bear the responsibility if schools in their areas increase charges without approval.

During the meeting, Dr Matiang’i said the country faced a shortage of 87,489 teachers, with primary schools being in need of 39,913 teachers and secondary schools having a deficit of 47,576 teacher.

However, he stressed that proper distribution of teachers was required, saying the urban areas had more teachers than the rural regions.

The CS also said the suspension of the setting up of new secondary schools would not be reversed as the government wanted to develop the existing institutions. The TSC, he said, used Sh813 million to pay teachers recruited on contract during the strike.

He also blamed MPs for the shortage, saying some of them had been pressurising him to help them secure transfers of teachers.