The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Deputy Secretary General, Hesbon Otieno, has raised concerns about the financial difficulties faced by school principals, forcing them to transfer the burden of fees to parents in order to keep schools operational.
In an interview with Radio Citizen on Thursday, June 29, Otieno accused Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu of making false promises to parents and school principals regarding the disbursement of funds to schools. He claimed that principals were struggling because many parents believed the government's assurances, leaving the principals without the necessary funds to provide basic necessities in schools.
Otieno expressed frustration, stating, "When the government is saying that they have disbursed funds to schools, the parents believe the government more than they believe the school principals. When the Education CS says that the government has disbursed the capitation, parents think the principals are lying, yet they cannot buy necessities like books and food for the schools."
According to the Deputy Secretary General, Machogu's promises were merely political tactics aimed at creating a positive image of the government's performance. In reality, school principals are facing a dire situation and will have no choice but to increase fees in order to maintain effective school operations.
Otieno called on parents to understand the predicament faced by school principals, emphasizing that they were not attempting to exploit the situation for financial gain. He explained, "This is just politics to show that the government is working. The principals will have no choice but to increase the fees. For the school to run efficiently, there is no other way to get these funds. The only other option is to go back to the parents and tell them the truth. The principals have to go and find that money from the parents."
Furthermore, Otieno urged Machogu not to portray a negative image of school principals, highlighting that without government funding, schools have no alternative means to sustain their operations. He emphasized that the situation was not a threat but a reality that parents needed to understand in order for education to continue.
On Wednesday, June 28, Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu announced the government's plan to recruit over 24,000 teachers to address the staffing gap in schools nationwide at the beginning of the 2023/2024 Financial Year. Additionally, starting July 1, the government will implement a new capitation disbursement system, providing school heads with funds in the ratio of 50:30:20 for the first, second, and third terms, respectively, instead of the previous quarterly system.
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