KUPPET Wants The Government To Release Funds Ahead Of Schools Reopening

The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Teachers (KUPPET) has requested the government to provide funds meant to prepare schools for safe reopening before next week.

Mr. Akelo Misori the KUPPET Secretary-General said that the government must put itself to the task and deal with the situation in schools reopening.

“The Treasury and the Ministry of Education must expeditiously release capitation funds for the development of infrastructure required to control the spread of the coronavirus,” said Mr. Misori.

Mr. Misori’s statements were guided by the fact that nearly all schools need funds to improve classrooms, dormitories, sanitation facilities, and the creation of isolation rooms to captures any cases of emergencies that would arise.

KUPPET also revealed that many schools have made little progress in readiness for the resumption of learning under the Covid-19 health protocols.

The issue of desks

KUPPET also raised the issue of supply of desks to schools. The secretary general said that desks are yet to be supplied by the Ministry to the schools earmarked. 

The primary school teachers union Chairman Omboko Milemba asked the government in additions to what it has pledged to give to schools should also provide facemasks to all students.

Mr. Milemba added that the government needs approximately Sh1 billion to complete the supply of facemasks to all learners in both primary and secondary schools.

The union further wants the Ministry of Education to map out private schools that closed down during the pandemic and ensure a smooth relocation of their learners to other private and public schools.

The opinions of the unionists come barely a week after the ministry of education and the teacher’s employer Teachers Service Commission said that teachers should report to schools latest by Monday Spetember 28, 2020.

However, opening schools is not a walk in the park owing to the fact that schools must adhere to COVID 19 health protocols.