Busia: The Principal Secretary for Economic Planning, Bonface Makokha, has stated that the National Government remains committed to strengthening the education sector through increased funding and infrastructure development. Speaking during St. Monica Chakol Girls Annual General Meeting, Makokha mentioned that in the current budget, the government has allocated Sh781 billion to the education sector, demonstrating its commitment to making education a key pillar of national development.
According to Kenya News Agency, Makokha emphasized that out of every Sh100 collected by the government, Sh16 is allocated to education, highlighting the centrality of education to national growth and development. Additionally, Makokha announced that Busia County will receive five school buses before the end of the current financial year to address transport challenges affecting learning institutions, which will also benefit surrounding communities during public functions.
The Principal Secretary also addressed claims surrounding the Finance Bill, dismissing them as propaganda intended to mislead the public. He clarified that there will be no increase in taxes on mobile phones, with a proposal to reduce the current tax from 55 percent to 25 percent, and assured that there is no tax on ancestral land.
Susan Mang’eni, the Principal Secretary for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, stated that the government has stabilized the university funding model, ensuring that deserving students can access higher education without disruption. She noted that the new funding model is functioning effectively, allowing universities to run their programs and pay employees, sealing previous loopholes and guaranteeing opportunities for deserving learners.
Mang’eni also addressed the recent wave of student unrest and destruction of school property, urging learners to use dialogue in resolving disputes. She emphasized the need to condemn the destruction of schools due to the significant losses involved and encouraged learners to express their challenges for peaceful conflict resolution.
Furthermore, Mang’eni praised the national government’s ongoing development projects in Busia County, highlighting initiatives such as affordable housing, markets, hostels, and road construction that have created employment opportunities and boosted the local economy by increasing money circulation and enabling families to earn a livelihood.
Busia County Commissioner Stephen Orinde reported that the county had experienced unrest in 20 schools but noted that coordinated efforts by education stakeholders and security agencies had helped contain the situation. He mentioned that learning has resumed in most institutions, with those still closed expected to reopen after the half-term break.
Orinde called on parents to play a more active role in nurturing responsible children, emphasizing that discipline begins at home and cannot be left entirely to teachers, who should not be blamed when things go wrong.
