By Isaac Biwott
The Chairman of Parliamentary Committee on Education Julius Meli, wants dialogue between the Ministry of Education and lecturers to end the ongoing strike.
Melly said thousands of students are being subjected to unnecessary suffering as the striking lecturers push for the implementation of their Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
He disclosed that the ministry of education had factored in their budget for the 2018/2019 increments and other emoluments for both lecturers and non teaching staff.
“We don’t want to see our lecturers demonstrating and universities closed, we want all the parties to accommodate dialogue since the government has addressed in the budget,” Meli said.
He spoke at Tinderet Educational Centre in his Tinderet Constituency during thanks cum prize giving ceremony for the primary school.
Meli explained that the agreement that will come out of the round table talks should include a new CBA and should be registered and deposited in the industrial court.
Meli said there was no need for a hard-line stand by both the union and the ministry since the National Treasury has addressed their welfare.
“As a parliamentary committee we want all issues addressed so that we have smooth education in our institutions of higher learning,” Meli said.
He also warned secondary schools against increasing levies singling out day schools whose students’ fees have been fully been paid by the government.
The legislator regretted that some schools were charging exorbitant lunch fees to the extent of exceeding a terms fees being disbursed by the ministry education.
He said children with various disabilities have certain unique talents that need to be exploited and train to enable them be self dependent.
Meli announced that he would roll out a master plan for integrated schools in his Tinderet constituency and appealed to parents not to discriminate children various disabilities.
