Nairobi, Kenya – March 19, 2024
In a scathing rebuke of the government’s handling of education funding, Kenyan Opposition MPs, led by Leader of Minority Opiyo Wandayi, along with Westlands MP Tim Wanyonyi, have condemned the delay in releasing funds to schools.They allege that the Ministry of Education’s actions are setting up school heads for failure.
The legislators delivered their statement to the media today, expressing frustration over the continuous promises made by the Ministry of Education regarding fund disbursements. According to the MPs, the repeated delays have become a pattern under the Kenya Kwanza regime, severely affecting the functioning of schools across the country.
“The Ministry of Education is running the critical sector by setting up principals for failure and then lying to learners and parents,” stated the MPs in their joint statement. They accused the Ministry of orchestrating a facade of announcements, followed by insufficient actions, leaving schools and students in dire straits.
Highlighting the gravity of the situation, the MPs revealed that the government owes approximately Kshs 52.8 billion in Free Day School Education funds, dating back to 2021. They emphasized that the delay in releasing these funds has crippled schools, leaving them struggling to meet basic operational needs.
“Feeding the students is an uphill task for the school administrators, and for some schools, it is just a matter of time before there is student unrest due to hunger,” the statement read.
Furthermore, the MPs warned of the potential consequences of the funding crisis, including compromised education standards and a bleak future for Kenyan children. They pointed to alarming statistics from recent KCSE examinations, where over 49,000 candidates scored grade E, indicating a systemic issue exacerbated by poor funding.
Demanding immediate action from the government, the MPs called for transparency in fund disbursements and urged an adjustment of the capitation amount to account for rising inflation rates. They also challenged the Kenya Kwanza regime to clarify its commitment to Free Primary and Free Secondary Education.
In conclusion, the MPs urged teachers and parents to speak out against the government’s failures, emphasizing that the future of Kenyan children is at stake.
As the education sector grapples with financial turmoil, the call for accountability and timely action resonates strongly among stakeholders, underscoring the urgent need for reform to safeguard the quality of education in Kenya.