By Amoto Ndiewo
Tana River senator, Danson Mungatana has urged the government to find a lasting solution for children being sent home for school fees frequently even as the raging drought bites, affecting 92,000 people in the county.
Mungatana stated that the president should explore the possibility of issuing an executive order that will ensure all learners, who are also suffering from food poverty, stay in school even without fees.
“Learners in Tana River and across the drought-stricken parts of the country have been sent home to bring school fees but due to the tough economic times and biting drought, most parents cannot afford to take their children back to school,” he said.
He noted executive order or another short term intervention by the Treasury and the Ministry of Education would make sure that learners are back in school as the school year comes to a close.
“The order would act as a temporary measure as arrangements are being made to ensure the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) is aligned to the constitution,” said Mungatana.
The Supreme Court recently ruled that the NG-CDF Act 2013 was unconstitutional, dealing a blow to both MPs and its beneficiaries.
The senator appealed to the President to ensure that the NG-CDF was brought back so that Kenyans who have been depending on it can continue enjoying its benefits.
Mungatana said MPs led by Matungulu legislator Stephen Mule had started working on the new CDF Act and he believed that the solution was en-route.
“The reason why the Senate was against the CDF was because it was unconstitutional. Senators were never involved in passing it. However, we all agree that CDF plays a key role in our society including helping to pay learners school fees, building infrastructure in schools and security among many others,” he reported.
He concluded that senators wholeheartedly supported CDF and they shall approve it once it was formulated properly.
