Schools at Risk of a Crisis – Head Teachers Warn Magoha

Headteachers have warned Education CS George Magoha and ministry officials that schools are at risk of plunging into a crisis, a few days after students went back to school. The school heads have flagged the release of Ksh 19.5 billion to schools, arguing that this amount falls short of what schools require.  Magoha’s ministry released Ksh 4.6 billion for primary schools and Ksh 14.6 billion for secondary schools after President Uhuru Kenyatta ordered the Treasury to expedite the realise of the funds. The headteachers claim that the Ksh 19.5 billion is 25 percent of the funds that were supposed to be sent to schools.  PS for Basic Education Belio Kipsang addresses Suswa Girls Secondary School students in Narok County on Wednesday, January 13, 2021Twitter School heads want Magoha to explain how the money will be spread and how schools will cover financial constraints. They were directed to use the funds in all four terms in 2021. “Last year, there was a balance of 30 percent of the money that should have been released. There was also a balance of 20 percent that is released in the third term. These monies have not been captured in the disbursed funds.”We need a meeting of school heads and the ministry so that they guide us on the criteria they used to disburse the funds,” Kenya Secondary School Heads Association chairman, Kahi Indimuli said. CS Magoha had defended his ministry against critics demanding the government to release more money. The CS urged school heads to ensure the funds were used appropriately. “Please use this money for what it is meant for. This time we want to thank God that we are alive, I have no plan to make any extra money this year, nobody should have any plans to do so.”This money belongs to the children and God will punish you severely if you even smell the money. It is not about how much the government gives but how it is used,” Magoha said. Schools are racing against time to ensure that there is the availability of water and sanitising points as they also face challenges of enforcing social distance regulations. Pupils at a class in St. Monica Primary School in TransNzoia County in January 2021Twitter