Raila Slaps Ruto with 4 Demands Ahead of Schools Reopening
On Tuesday, Raila Odinga, the leader of Azimio, presented a set of requests to the government regarding the allocation of funds for schools in anticipation of the planned reopening on January 8.
In a released statement, Raila urged President William Ruto to tackle the matter of funding for both public primary and secondary schools prior to the commencement of the academic term.
The opposition leader called upon the government to fulfill its financial responsibilities to schools, which encompassed addressing outstanding payments and settling pending bills.
“The government must release all the monies owed to schools. It must also release capitation at the approved rate of Ksh22,244 per child for the financial year 2023/2024,” Raila demanded.
He emphasized the necessity for fair distribution of capitation among schools and advocated for the active involvement of unions, Parents Teachers’ Associations, and school Boards of Management in ensuring its implementation.
Raila contended that the unequal allocation of capitation undermines the principles of fair and equal access to education, leading to regional disparities with far-reaching consequences.
Furthermore, he urged Ruto to reassess his priorities in the new year, emphasizing that education should be one of the government’s foremost concerns that require immediate attention.
“How does a government put money on so-called Affordable Housing but refuse to finance the education of our children?” Raila posed.
The ODM leader appealed to religious leaders and civil society organizations to monitor the government’s actions and ensure that it adheres to constitutional provisions in funding education. He asserted that providing complete funding to schools is the sole means of ensuring that every child nationwide is afforded an equal chance in life.
In conclusion, he instructed Members of Parliament to give priority to budget allocations for both primary and higher education.
“Our legislators must embark on active steps to force the government to release public education funding, both at the Primary and secondary levels before schools resume. Money must reach schools ahead of Monday,” Raila demanded.
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Raila Slaps Ruto with 4 Demands Ahead of Schools Reopening
