Education PS Prof James ole Kiyiapi. Photo/ FILE
By Benjamin Muindi bmuindi@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Sunday, September 4 2011 at 22:00
Posted Sunday, September 4 2011 at 22:00
IN SUMMARY
Each pupil to get Sh2,040 and students Sh21,250 in project meant to boost access to education
Free education funds for both primary and secondary schools have been released.
The Sh5.6 has been sent to schools accounts for running the institutions during Third Term that kicks off on Monday, Education permanent secretary James Ole Kiyiapi said on Sunday.
Some Sh3.6 billion will go to the free-day secondary, while Sh1.7 billion will go to the free primary education programmes, respectively.
“This amount will be enough for the schools to run during the third term,” Prof Kiyiapi said.
Each of the 8.8 million pupils under the FPE is allocated Sh1,020 per year to cater for tuition, learning materials, and other school bills.
According to the PS, this term, Sh933 million will be used for the pupil’s tuition fee, while Sh797 million will cater for schools operations such as electricity, water and other bills, for primary schools.
Under the secondary education plan, each student is allocated Sh10,625 per year, with 1.7 million students benefiting from the programme.
Some Sh1.3 billion has been allocated for the tuition and Sh2.3 billion for school operations under the programme.
School calendar
Already, there are plans to change the school calendar where first term will start in September in line with government’s fiscal year.
A taskforce reviewing the education system in line with the Constitution wants schools to open in September, days after Parliament has passed the Budget and funds released by Treasury for free learning.
More than 20,000 primary schools and 7,000 secondary schools are under the government’s free education programme started in 2003 and 2008, respectively.
“School operations have previously been interrupted as suppliers and workers found it difficult to work without funds,” the Taskforce on Re-alignment of Education Sector to the Constitution said.
The First Term will end in November, when students proceed for December holidays before resuming in January and breaking in March for the April holidays.
The Third Term will start in May and end in July when students will break again for August holidays before the cycle starts all over again in September.
The taskforce has also recommended that the amount disbursed to schools be doubled to reflect the rising costs of living.
This means each child is to get Sh2,040 under the primary school plan and Sh21,250 under the free-day secondary education.
Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association chairman Cleophas Tirop said the prices of commodities had skyrocketed yet the amount allocated per child remained the same.
Mr Tirop had therefore proposed that the boarding fee be increased as well.
Teachers strike
Meanwhile, top education officials meet Treasury staff Monday morning in a last-ditch effort to forestall an imminent teachers strike.
Prof Kiyiapi indicated that there was a likelihood of reaching a deal that may see the strike scheduled for Tuesday called off.
“The unions need to understand we are reading from the same script on this one, and there is no need to cause a crisis in our schools by proceeding with the strike,” he said.
According to the PS, the meeting on Monday may see the government convert the contract employment of 18,060 teachers into permanent and pensionable basis.
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