Schools to reopen for a packed second term amid funding crisis
Education Ministry CS Geoge Magoha at one of the classrooms at Olympic Primary School in Kibera slums during the school's reopening on January 4, 2021.
What you need to know:
- By yesterday, the National Treasury had not released the money amid concerns from school heads that running the institutions will be a nightmare, especially for boarding secondary schools.
- Teachers who marked the 2021 exams are crying foul as the government is yet to pay them.
- Students face disruption three weeks after re-opening due to the August 9 General Election.
Schools are facing a funding crisis as they reopen on Tuesday for the second term, with the government yet to release free primary and free day secondary school funds.
By yesterday, the National Treasury had not released the money amid concerns from school heads that running the institutions will be a nightmare, especially for boarding secondary schools.
And as school heads stare at a crisis, teachers who marked the 2021 exams are crying foul as the government is yet to pay them.
The teachers marked the Kenya National Examination Council (Knec) exams in April and the results were announced. But to date, the payments have not been released.
Heads and teachers who spoke to the Sunday Nation revealed that the cost of running schools is increasingly becoming unbearable due to the rising prices of food.
Prices of commodities such as maize, rice, sugar, milk, beans, sorghum, millet and cooking oil, which are used in boarding schools have tripled, making some principals borrow from lenders hoping to pay them later.
Most schools usually buy the items in large quantities before reopening to minimise expenditure.
However, with the funding crisis, schools have had to order the items on loan from various suppliers hoping to repay once the government releases funds.
“The situation in schools is getting worse; institutions are highly indebted. The government must find a way of ensuring that schools are able to access food items at lower prices,” said a principal in Kisii County.
Another principal said to be able to manage schools, some heads have engaged parents, especially those in boarding schools to pay fees on time to enable them to buy the items for students.
“Without engaging parents, it will be difficult to run boarding schools in this economy,” he said.
The Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (Kessha) chairman Indimuli Kahi has since asked the Ministry of Education to consider partnering with the National Cereal and Produce Board (NCPB) to supply grains to schools at a cheaper price.
Parents are also feeling the pinch of schools’ reopening as this will be the third time they are required to pay fees for their children this year.
Polls disruption
And as elections approach, students face disruption three weeks after re-opening.
Schools are the main polling centres used by the electoral commission.
To allow the smooth running of elections, schools will break for a week and resume before closing on September 16.
This term will also be a busy period for Education CS George Magoha as his reign nears the end.
Yesterday, the CS was in Kisumu overseeing the construction of the competency-based curriculum (CBC) classrooms.
He has promised to ensure that the 10,000 classrooms meant for junior secondary phase one are completed before his term ends.
Prof Magoha said in the next four weeks, a further 3,500 classrooms meant for phase two will be completed.
“We have already completed the first schedule; we hope to complete 3,500 classrooms in this next,” he said.
The CS also warned school heads against politicising the CBC classroom projects even as he assures parents that all is set for the second term.
Exams preparations
Prof Magoha is also working around the clock in collaboration with Knec to ensure that national exams are ready before he leaves office.
Grade Six learners are scheduled to sit for their final Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) from November 28, Standard Eight candidates will sit their KCPE exam in November while Form Fours will sit KCSE exams from November and end in January next year.
According to Prof Magoha, all exams have been set and are ready for administration in November.
Knec completed the process of registering all candidates for the national examinations in May.
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) will be recruiting over 14,000 teachers in the second term.
The commission will recruit 5,000 teachers to support the government policy on 100 per cent transition of learners from primary to secondary schools and to address the existing teacher shortage in schools.
