Schools in Ruiru, Kiambu County, have been warned against charging candidates for lunch that has already been paid for during the national examinations.
Area MP Simon King’ara said a feeding programme sponsored by the Ng’ang’a King’ara Foundation is meeting the cost of food for the KCPE and KPSEA candidates during the three days they will be sitting their exams.
The MP, who was presenting a cheque of Ksh2.5 million to feed 8,154 candidates in the constituency’s 19 public primary schools, said he had information that some teachers were asking parents to pay for lunch.
“If any teacher has received money, let them return it to the parents because the food has already been paid for,” said King’ara as he handed over the cheque to the programme manager Teresa Macharia at Ruiru Primary School.
The legislator also said arrangements are in place to make sure the examination papers reach all the centres without a hitch, given that some areas in the constituency are prone to flooding.
Some parents had claimed they were earlier asked to pay Ksh350 for every pupil sitting the exams.
“We are grateful to our MP for lifting the financial burden off us because many pupils were being sent home for the money. Many of us were unable to pay,” said Martha Kinuthia, a parent.
The head teacher Ruiru Primary School Stephen Saruni said the feeding programme has helped retain many learners in class, thanking the MP for his considerate move.
He welcomed five candidates he said had paid the exam fees and disappeared from school at the beginning of the year to go back and do the exams.
By Kamau Njoroge
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