Education Cabinet secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i has called for an audit on the status of textbooks given to learners in public primary and secondary schools. He said despite government allocating huge sums of money for textbooks and other learning materials, the learners hardly benefit because of graft.
Matinag'i said in the last three years, the National government had spent Sh9.6 billion towards primary and secondary schools textbooks under the Free Education Programme. He, however, said the ratio of textbooks per student does not reflect the value of the huge investment because learners are still sharing textbooks while others lack the vital tools altogether.
The CS said because of this malpractice, his ministry is contemplating centralisation of the books supply to root out stealing of funds. “We may centralise distribution of textbooks to ensure they reach the pupils and curb graft in school-based direct supply chain,” said Matiang’i.
Currently, the government provides funds to schools to procure books for learners. Matiang'i spoke during the Kigumo sub-county education day in Murang’a County. He was accompanied by Kigumo MP Jamleck Kamau, Peter Kamande (Maragua), Alice Wahome (Kandara) and County Women's Representative Sabina Chege.
On dissolution of the Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) board, the CS said he has ordered for investigations to establish the networks of examination cheating within the council “ to unmask the operatives and root out the vice completely”.
He described examination cheating as the worst form of intellectual dishonesty, which should not be tolerated in the country’s education system. Matiang’i said new guidelines were being drafted to ensure head teachers and school boards are accountable directly held liable for any exam cheating in their institutions.
He also said the Education Act is being amended to create room for establishment of sub-counties education boards in line with devolved structures of governance He pointed out that the move would enable formulation of strategies relevant to the regions in tackling of challenges facing the education sector.
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