KNUT Calls for Centralization of Bursary Funds.
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has appealed to the government to centralize all bursary funds before allocating them to schools.
KNUT Meru Branch Executive Secretary Caxton Miungi suggested that consolidating the bursary funds would help eliminate corruption and ensure that the funds benefit all eligible students, ultimately making education free in Kenya.
In an interview from his office, Miungi called on the Ministry of Education to centralize the bursary funds and distribute them to deserving students.
He emphasized that school principals, chiefs, and their assistants should be responsible for identifying needy students, rather than politicians who might misuse the funds for political gain.
He advocated for a system where the Education Ministry consolidates all bursaries and directs them to the needy students in schools.
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He said that the identification of students should be handled by school principals and provincial administrators.
This approach would prevent politicians, including Members of Parliament (MPs), governors, and Members of County Assemblies (MCAs), from distributing the bursaries in exchange for political favors.
Employment of Intern Teachers
Miungi commended the government’s decision to offer 46,000 intern teachers permanent and pensionable employment. For those who may not secure positions, he advised them to visit the KNUT office for further assistance in ensuring they are employed.
He reassured interns that the union would follow up on any cases where individuals were left out of employment.
Miungi highlighted that, during a previous strike, KNUT had demanded that the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) prioritize the employment of teachers when the recruitment process resumed.
Addressing the issue of grade nine learners, Miungi mentioned that, during public participation organized by the Presidential Committee on Education, Kenyans expressed a preference for keeping grade nine students in primary schools.
He acknowledged the public’s concerns about the availability of classrooms for grade nine learners in primary institutions.
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Miungi explained that under the previous 8-4-4 curriculum, some primary schools had extra classrooms due to double or triple streams, while others had established day secondary wings.
As a result, many primary schools already have the infrastructure to accommodate Junior Secondary Schools (JSS). For those without sufficient classrooms, Miungi assured the public that the government would construct new ones.
He also noted that alumni from various schools were stepping in to assist with the construction of laboratories for grade nine students.
KNUT Calls for Centralization of Bursary Funds.
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