Azimio MPs slam Education CS Machogu over delay in release of school capitation

The Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party is now sounding the alarm over what it terms as the collapse of the education sector due to delayed funding by the national government.

While demanding the immediate release of capitation owed to schools, Azimio MPs accused Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu of babysitting the sector’s downfall by making endless promises that the government cannot keep.

Led by National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi, the MPs castigated the government for missing several timelines to release funds thereby putting a strain on the running of public secondary schools.

“We are here to call out the government on the lies that have now crippled schools and exposed otherwise innocent principals and teachers to the wrath of parents and learners who buy into government lies that funds have been released to schools. The casualty is the Kenyan learner,” Wandayi said.

The Ugunja MP linked the massive failures in national exams to continued delays in releasing funds, saying the government owes schools Ksh.52.8 billion.

“The Ministry of Education is setting up school heads for ridicule, failure and blame; in the process, our children are collateral, and whenever the ministry comes under pressure, they assemble the media, come up with some figure and say they will release the money, which never happens,” he stated.

According to Wandayi, schools are facing an acute cash crunch and likened the continued running of the educational institutions as a miracle that is short-lived.

“The present state of affairs in our schools is a great shame to this nation. The net effect of all these happenings is that we will have incalculable ramifications on standards of education in Kenya and the future of Kenyan children,” he said.

Kitui Central MP Makali Mulu regretted that the President William Ruto administration has failed to prioritize the education sector with children’s future being used as collateral.

He questioned why the government has continued to release funds to other sectors while ignoring education.

“Ten years or 15 years to come we will start to face challenges as pertains what’s happening today in the education sector. Other sectors are getting their money on time, it just tells how much the government prioritizes education,” Mulu stated.

The lawmakers pushed for a review of the current capitation which was arrived at in 2017 saying it must be adjusted upwards to take into account the rising inflation rate.

The Ministry of Education, through Basic Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang, on Monday promised funds to schools in the next 10 days.