Author: Hezron Rooy

Audit Exposes Garissa University’s Use of Unapproved Mobile Money for Fees. A recent audit has criticized Garissa University for using unapproved mobile money systems to collect student tuition fees, bypassing the standard procedure of bank account payments. According to Auditor General Nancy Gathungu, the university’s Fee Policy 2018 does not authorize mobile money as a payment method. Despite its convenience, the policy had not been revised to accommodate it, raising concerns about the legitimacy of this revenue collection practice. The audit, covering the year ending June 30, 2023, revealed that the university’s management had not ensured compliance with its fee…

Education PS Declines to Commission Grade 9 Classroom in Isiolo. Education Principal Secretary Dr. Belio Kipsang postponed the commissioning of a Grade 9 classroom at Barracks Primary School in Isiolo County and instructed the construction of three more classrooms within three to four months. He announced plans to return to the school to commission all four classrooms once completed. The school committee assured him that funding was already secured to finalize the project. Dr. Kipsang emphasized the urgency of accommodating the 200 students transitioning to Grade 9 in the public school hosted at the Military ground. He noted that the…

PS Kipsang’ Issues Stern Warning to Men on Teenage Pregnancies. Basic Education Principal Secretary (PS) Belio Kipsang’ has cautioned adult men against preying on and impregnating teenage girls, emphasizing the need to shield the vulnerable in society. He warned that those engaging in such actions would face unspecified severe consequences. While supervising the opening and distribution of examination papers at the Meru County Commissioner’s headquarters, PS Kipsang’ expressed concern over the rising number of young girls forced to take their exams from hospitals due to pregnancies. He noted that the situation has worsened this year compared to previous years. Statistics…

Three Schools Under Police Radar for Suspected KCSE Exam Cheating. Police in Nandi County are investigating three schools following allegations of exam malpractice. Seven teachers were arrested for possessing suspected examination materials shared via social media. The affected schools under scrutiny are Kamimei Secondary School in Nandi South, Koitalel Samoei Boys School in Nandi East, and Lelwark Boys School, also in Nandi East. Nandi County Criminal Investigation Officer Peter Ochieng revealed that the arrested individuals include a supervisor and an invigilator. Authorities across the county have heightened security to dismantle any exam cheating networks. He emphasized the police’s ability to…

Government Assures Completion of Grade Nine Classrooms Ahead of January 2024. The Basic Education Principal Secretary (PS), Dr. Belio Kipsang, has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring the completion of grade nine classrooms before schools reopen in January next year. Speaking in Meru County after overseeing the opening of the KCSE examination container, Dr. Kipsang detailed the government’s progress and future plans for classroom construction under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) framework. The PS reported that 3,500 classrooms have been successfully completed during the first phase of the project. In the ongoing second phase, an additional 7,500 classrooms are at various…

Why Teachers Avoid TSC Deployment to Junior Secondary Schools. A significant number of teachers have avoided deployment to Junior Secondary School (JSS) due to adverse impacts on their career progression. Many of those deployed have expressed frustrations, stating that despite serving as head teachers or deputies, their titles were downgraded to Teacher 3 and Teacher 4. This adjustment has made it challenging for them to secure promotions. Even after fulfilling the required years of service and entering their details into the system for career advancement, their applications are often rejected. Teachers who resisted deployment to JSS have advanced to higher…

Prolonged Strikes at Moi University Derail Medical Students’ Graduation Hopes for Nearly a Decade. Medical students at Moi University have endured nine years of study, with graduation hopes dimming due to ongoing challenges. Many students have resorted to self-study, while others have left the institution, disheartened by prolonged strikes and operational issues at the North Rift campus. The situation has left students battling frustration, as dreams of becoming healthcare professionals slip further away. Lyn Ndegwa, a top scorer from Kerema Girls with 83 points, recalled the excitement of joining Moi University, once viewed as a premier institution. She recounted the…

UASU Plans Massive Protest in Nairobi: Protest Route and Assembly. Nairobi is bracing for a significant demonstration on Monday, November 18, 2024, as members of the academic community rally behind a protest organized by the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU). The event is aimed at addressing key grievances affecting educators and the broader academic sector. The protest has been sanctioned by the Nairobi Office of Security (NOS), with all necessary permits secured. This was confirmed in a memo released by Dr. Constantine Wasonga, the union’s Secretary General. The memo detailed the approval process and assured participants of the event’s legality.…

KEPSHA Co-Founder Dies During Tenure as Kisumu Public Service Chair. Kisumu County has lost a distinguished leader, Charles Karan, a founding member of the Kenya Primary School Heads Association (KEPSHA) and Chairman of the Kisumu County Public Service Board (PSB). Karan passed away while receiving treatment at the Aga Khan Hospital in Mombasa. Karan’s death was announced by Kisumu Governor Prof. Anyang’ Nyong’o, who revealed that Karan fell ill during a conference in Mombasa last week and was subsequently hospitalized. Governor Nyong’o described Karan as a career teacher, a dedicated administrator, and a key contributor to the county’s human resource…

KUPPET Risks Collapse as TSC Withhold Union Funds. The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) awaits confirmation on whether it will receive its monthly union contributions after experiencing a three-month lapse in funding. Kuppet’s financial stability is threatened due to the Teachers Service Commission’s (TSC) suspension of union dues following Kuppet’s nationwide strike in August. This dispute has led the union to take legal action, seeking court intervention to restore its funding. Kuppet has sued TSC for failing to deduct and remit union dues from teachers’ salaries, pointing out that TSC’s approach mirrors tactics previously used in a…