Parliament Probes Sh6mn Payments by National Schools to KESHA
Luanda MP Dick Maungu, who chairs the National Assembly’s Public Investments Committee (PIC) on Education and Governance, said some schools had paid KESHA as much as Sh6 million.
In Kisumu, Kenya on September 4, the National Assembly's Public Investments Committee (PIC) on Education and Governance launched an inquiry into payments made by national secondary schools to the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESHA). PIC chairman Dick Maungu stated that some schools have reportedly paid KESHA up to Sh6 million, prompting questions about the legal status of the organization and the use of public funds.
Maungu emphasized that the committee aims to determine whether KESHA, which represents secondary school principals, is legally authorized to receive funds from public institutions and whether its financial transactions are subject to Auditor-General's audit. The committee's investigation began with Category One (C1) institutions, mainly national schools, and has already included stakeholders from schools like Maseno School, Bunyore Girls, Chavakali, Nyang’ori, Maranda, and Kisumu Girls.
The inquiry has also uncovered disparities in textbook distribution, with some schools receiving surplus books while others in disadvantaged areas continue to face shortages. Maungu pointed out that one school received 436 extra textbooks, and the committee intends to question the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) regarding the distribution process and the accuracy of enrolment data used to determine schools' textbook requirements.
Additionally, the parliamentary inquiry has uncovered substantial fee arrears owed to schools, with some debts dating back to 2010 and 2015, creating financial strain on institutions already grappling with delayed government funding. Maungu urged the government to release capitation to schools on schedule to alleviate financial pressures faced by school principals.
The PIC plans to compile a comprehensive report with recommendations on financial management, textbook distribution, capitation, and payments to organizations such as KESHA, which could result in closer scrutiny of how public secondary schools allocate funds and their financial relationships with external entities.
Written by urgent.news from Capital FM Kenya's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
