The Principal Secretary for Economic Planning Bonface Makokha has said 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 said during the current budget, the government has allocated Sh781 billion to education sector demonstrating its commitment to making education a key pillar of national development.
“Out of every Sh100 collected by the government, Sh16 is allocated to education. This shows that education remains central to the growth and development of this nation,” he said.
Makokha also announced that Busia County will receive five school buses before the end of the current financial year to ease transport challenges affecting learning institutions.
“We identified transport as one of the major challenges facing our schools. We have already acquired five buses that will be delivered before the end of this financial year. They will also benefit the surrounding communities during public functions,” he said.
The Principal Secretary dismissed claims surrounding the Finance Bill, terming it as propaganda intended to mislead the public. “We are not increasing taxes on mobile phones. In fact, the current tax is 55 percent, and we are proposing to reduce it to 25 percent. There is also no tax on ancestral land. These are false claims that should not be encouraged,” he said.
Principal Secretary for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Susan Mang’eni on her part said the government has stabilized the university funding model, ensuring deserving students can access higher education without disruption.
“The new university funding model is now functioning effectively. Many universities can run their programmes and pay employees. The model has sealed previous loopholes and guarantees every deserving learner an opportunity to pursue higher education,” she said.
Mang’eni also condemned the recent wave of student unrest and destruction of school property, urging learners to embrace dialogue in resolving disputes.
“We must condemn the destruction of schools because the losses are enormous. Learners should be encouraged to speak out whenever they face challenges so that conflicts can be resolved peacefully without affecting others,” she said.
She further praised the national government’s ongoing development projects in Busia County, saying initiatives such as affordable housing, markets, hostels and road construction have created employment opportunities and boosted the local economy.
“The projects underway in the county are creating jobs and increasing the circulation of money within the local economy, enabling many families to earn a livelihood,” she added.
Busia County Commissioner Stephen Orinde said the county had recorded unrest in 20 schools but noted that coordinated efforts by education stakeholders and security agencies had helped contain the situation.
“We engaged all relevant stakeholders to improve education standards in Busia County. Although 20 schools experienced unrest, learning has resumed in most institutions, while those still closed are expected to reopen immediately after the half-term break,” he said.
Orinde challenged parents to play a more active role in nurturing responsible children, saying discipline begins at home.
“There is a gap on the parents’ side. Parents must take responsibility of grooming their children for a better future. We cannot leave this duty entirely on teachers and then blame them when things go wrong,” he stressed.
by Salome Alwanda /Rodgers Omondi
