Narok County Commissioner Evans Achoki has ordered all the Sub County Education Officers to ensure the desks and lockers made under the government post- covid-19 economic stimulus are supplied to schools immediately.
Speaking during an education stakeholders meeting held at the commissioner’s boardroom Thursday, commissioner Achoki lamented that only 44 per cent of the desks had been delivered in the county three months after the president commissioned the programme.
“If you fail to deliver the desks for the learners within the shortest time possible, be ready for dire consequences as the programme was meant to ensure that all desks were in school by this period,” warned an angry Achoki.
The meeting was attended by among others the new County Director of Education Ms. Ann Njogu, County Executive Member in Charge of Education and five Deputy County Commissioners.
The tough talking commissioner reminded the Deputy County Commissioners and the Education officers that they were squarely responsible for the quality of the desks supplied by the contractors. “It is the responsibility of the officer to ensure that the desks delivered are made of quality materials and that they are in good shape as directed by the department of education failure to which the officers will be held accountable for failing to deliver quality services,” said the Commissioner.
Unlike before, the current procurement rules require that the contractors complete the task satisfactorily or deliver the products before they can be paid.
The school desks and lockers were procured at a total cost of Sh. 40 million and will go a long way in boosting the economy of the county as well as that of the individual suppliers in these hard economic times.
About 4,950 school lockers are to be distributed in 99 public secondary schools and a further 6, 300 school desks to 90 primary schools in the county.
The stakeholders sited lack of willing workshops to undertake the job as the major challenge that has delayed the delivery of furniture to schools.
By Ann Salaton
