Nakuru: Schools will get enhanced capitation in the next budget in a bid to ease the financial strain on the institutions, Basic Education PS Prof. Julius Bitok has said. Prof. Bitok revealed that the ministry’s budget had already been enhanced and presented to parliament, awaiting the next financial allocations.
According to Kenya News Agency, the government is also working towards a solarization project aiming to convert all schools to solar energy. This initiative is expected to cut electricity costs and ensure an uninterrupted electricity supply. Prof. Bitok was speaking in Nakuru County during the Elimu Mashinani Convention, where he engaged stakeholders on practical solutions to improve education standards.
The PS urged principals to regularly engage with their learners to prevent school unrest by addressing issues before they escalate. He expressed concern over drug abuse and teenage pregnancies, appealing to all stakeholders to collaborate in eliminating these issues in educational institutions. He emphasized that girls who drop out of school due to pregnancy should be allowed to return and complete their studies after delivery.
Additionally, Prof. Bitok mentioned that education officials are working closely with national government administrators to trace and readmit students who have dropped out of school for various reasons. He challenged stakeholders to identify ways to improve performance in national exams, noting that last year’s results in the county were unsatisfactory. Only 7,200 out of 49,000 candidates in the county attained the university cutoff mark of a C+.
Prof. Bitok assured KNEC examiners that their dues would be settled within two weeks, attributing the delay to financial constraints. He also announced that the government would soon roll out the KEMIS programme to establish the exact number of students in schools, addressing concerns that some head teachers might misrepresent student numbers.
In his remarks, Nakuru County Commissioner Dr. Loyford Kibaara acknowledged that drug trafficking in educational institutions remains a significant challenge. He stated that administrators and security agencies are actively monitoring this issue to prevent it. He urged school administrators to collaborate with national government administrators if they require sniffer dogs to trace drugs within their institutions.
Dr. Kibaara also highlighted the threat posed by criminal gangs recruiting students and forcing them to drop out of school. He noted that security agencies have already arrested several suspects and assured that the crackdown will continue. The county commissioner called on government administrative and security agencies to remain vigilant at all times.
