Kiharu Member of Parliament Ndindi Nyoro has insisted that the government should immediately implement fully free secondary education in Kenya to prevent the politicization of education and have it available for everyone irrespective of their financial status.
While speaking at a public forum, Nyoro stated that the present education financing setup is so inadequate that it forces many families into a dilemma of whether to raise money for secondary education or other necessities, thus the issue of equity and access to learning being compromised. He went on to say that education should not be used as a political bait, it should be seen as a national priority.
The MP suggested that a national kitty be created through which all day secondary schools will be funded across the country. He further mentioned that the fund would also enable the schools to offer meals, which, according to him, is an important strategy in improving retention and learning especially for children from poor families.
Nyoro indicated that a sum of about Sh15 billion would be enough to cover the whole cost of free secondary education in Kenya annually. He backed up his claim by stating that the government can still manage the said amount if it makes a proper prioritization of the budget and eliminates wastage.
Education has to be taken out of the political arena. It is a shame for the country when the children are sent home due to lack of fees, Nyoro remarked.