The Principal of Kisima Secondary School in Buuri sub county, Meru County has appealed for urgent intervention to enable second term learning programs continue with ease.
Amos Njagi said some students were currently spending nights in the dining hall since two dormitories were brought down by a mysterious fire towards the end of first term.
Njagi cited the need for leaders, including National and County government representatives to come to the rescue of the learners, saying parents were likely to pay school fees at a slow pace due to the prevailing weather.
He said many parents in the school rely on income from farm produce to pay school fees and cater for other basic
provisions, noting that there had been poor harvest in the last two seasons due to poor rainfall.
The Principal pointed out the need for agencies entrusted with the distribution of relief food to move with speed and consider assisting vulnerable schools in the area so as to retain learners in class and be able to safeguard performance.
Meanwhile, a Member of County Assembly, Evans Mawira has urged committees entrusted with the task of allocating school bursaries to create adequate room for public participation on the criteria to be used in identifying the neediest cases in the community.
Mawira regretted that some bursary committee members embark on the verification of application forms and go ahead to allocate money in closed door meetings without involving the public.
He said seeking the inputs of the public was a sure way of avoiding the temptation of being biased in favour of individual committee members’ interests.
Mawira cited cases where some bursary committee members take advantage of the poor, bright and vulnerable learners and their parents or guardians to demand for various forms of incentives as a condition for them to benefit from the funds.
He warned members against denying genuine applicants the opportunity to pursue education to higher levels saying doing so amounted to corruption.
By Makaa Margaret
