Prevent theft of funds in school reopening plan

Finally, the government is ready to reopen schools, which it closed six months ago in a bid to contain the Covid-19 pandemic.

It has been an agonising period for learners, teachers and parents. Initial declaration that the learners would lose an entire year was extremely painful and everybody’s wish is that once schools reopen next month, the programmes will be expedited to enable learners to catch up with the lost time and national examinations administered in the first quarter of next year.

For a start, universities and colleges should bring back learners to resume face-to-face learning as already declared by Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha.

As part of the preparation for reopening of the schools, the government has earmarked nearly Sh2 billion for provision of chairs and desks and allocated money to procure face masks and other essentials in line with the health protocols for preventing infections.

That is commendable and we hope that adequate resources will be expended to ensure smooth reopening and running of schools.

However, therein lies the challenge; That is likely to create a new channel for stealing public resources. Already, questions have arisen over the process and costing of the furniture.

First, the government put out an advertisement for suppliers of chairs and desks but, even before the ink on the document had dried, none other than President Uhuru Kenyatta and other top officials were unveiling desks done by supposedly jua kali artisans.

How does the government reconcile the tendering inconsistency and availability of procured furniture?

Secondly, the main challenge schools face is additional classrooms, dining halls and hostels, not chairs and desks. Why procure furniture when there is no space for them?

Do not turn the back-to-school plan into a channel for stealing public funds as happened at the Health ministry with covid-19 We do not want another cash scandal.