Siaya Governor Cornel Rasanga has called for partial devolvement of primary and secondary education to enable county governments pump money into improving schools’ infrastructure.
Rasanga said as things stand, the county governments cannot do anything despite the poor condition of some of the institutions in the counties.
He was speaking in his office while releasing Sh30,785,000 bursaries to needy students from the county. The money, he said, would benefit form four and tertiary education students who have reported back to the schools.
The governor faulted the current arrangement where money for primary and secondary schools’ infrastructural development was left with the Ministry of Education headquarters saying this was unfair.
“As long as the money is left with the Ministry of Education for them to select who to give, we shall not solve the problems affecting our institutions,” he said.
Rasanga said the national government could retain funds meant for salaries and emoluments but devolve the rest of the functions.
“Salaries can remain there but infrastructural development and bursary funds should be devolved,” he said adding “why did the government arrogate itself the power to say that education is not devolved and yet all the structures in schools are community built and owned?”
He said that his government would release another batch of bursary in January to cater for students who were yet to resume classes because of the Covid-19.
The governor ordered the list of the beneficiaries to be pinned in all public notice boards from the ward level to enable the public to scrutinise them.
“I urge the public to bring to the attention of my office any possible incident of a beneficiary who falls below the criteria for qualification,” he said.
The occasion was also attended by the County Assembly Speaker George Okode, County Secretary Joseph Ogutu and the Siaya Deputy County Commissioner Eric Wamulevu among others.
By Philip Onyango
