By Amoto Ndiewo
Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Garissa county executive secretary Abdirizak Hussein has lauded the national government for releasing school funds on time.
He pointed out that the funds would relieve parents currently engulfed in biting drought.
Hussein was reacting following Education CS Prof George Magoha’s remarks that the government had released Shs 2.1 billion for primary schools and Shs 14.7 billion for secondary schools.
The education CS had been speaking at Obuolo secondary school in Kisumu county where he warned teachers of disciplinary action if they went against the directive of the government of not sending children home for school fees.
Prof Magoha added that the government was keen on ensuring that no child is sent home for lack of school fees. He also revealed that all government agencies have been instructed to identify and report school managers who send children home for school fees.
In tandem with the CS, Garissa KNUT boss urged school heads to strictly adhere to the directive since most parents from Garissa rely on livestock which are currently going for low prices due to the biting drought.
‘Many parents depend on livestock which they lost as a result of the lack of rains in the past two rain seasons. The remaining few livestock don’t yield much produce,’ he said.
Hussein suggested that secondary school heads ought to identify students from poor families and make arrangements on how the children’s fees ought to be paid.
‘It’s our hope that the school heads will cooperate and make life easy for the parents,’ said the KNUT chief.
He expressed concern of the fact that the livestock farmers had been left at the mercy of the government and well-wishers.
‘The government should offer financial assistance to these families to enable them buy a few livestock for a start. It should also bring back the school feeding program in primary schools.’ He said.
The feeding programme will go a long way in keeping students in school.
The meteorological department had described the drought as one of the worst over the last ten years. The region is littered with livestock and wildlife carcasses.
