Kuppet urges ministry to disburse schools cash

Thursday, 07 July 2011 00:08 BY ELIZABETH WERE

Teachers union Kuppet has told the government to release outstanding free secondary school money. Kuppet secretary general Akelo Misori said the government was to have remitted 50 per cent of funds, but handed out only 40 per cent.
 Second term disbursement is supposed to be 30 per cent while third term is 20, according to the new disbursement guidelines. “We want a clear answer from the government because information reaching us indicates that the ministry is yet to disburse the funds for the second term more than two months since schools reopened at the beginning of May,” Misori said.
 The union said they have written to Prime Minister Raila Odinga to intervene and have the funds released quickly to forestall an imminent closure of schools before the end of term.
 He pointed out that all public schools have been affected and the crisis is severe in districts where government funding accounts for a large proportion of fees. “This funding crisis has gravely affected learning in such schools by straining their capacity to procure basic necessities," added Misori.
 The blamed the government for unveiling a mult-trillion shilling budget and yet the schools have no money. “This crisis is further proof of the incompetence at the Ministry of Education which is costing Kenya dearly in lost funds and poor management," he said. Misori said a student is supposed to get Sh10, 050 but only Sh300 has been allocated.
 The union fears if the money is not released it may cause riots in secondary schools as families and parents are already overburdened by high food prices.