This archive report was first published on 5 July 2021.
Kenya: Baringo MPs Threaten to Impeach Magoha Over 'Bogus' Directives ¶
Three MPs from Baringo County have threatened to sponsor a motion to impeach Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha over what they termed as "bogus" directives that they said are further marginalising the disadvantaged.
On June 11, 2021, the Ministry of Education released a directive that merged schools with less than 40 candidates, forcing them to be hosted by another neighbouring centre with more than 40 candidates during the 2021 KCPE and KCSE examinations.
However, MPs Charles Kamuren (Baringo South), Daniel Tuitoek (Mogotio), and Joshua Kandie (Baringo Central) claimed that the education sector is on the brink of collapsing courtesy of Prof Magoha's directives, which they said are issued without proper consultations with relevant parties.
"We have a teachers' training college in Baringo Central but to our dismay, there are few learners and none from this region secured an admission because they did not qualify. The Ministry of Education should review the qualifications that sabotage learning," said Mr Kandie.
Mr Tuitoek termed the directives as pedestrian, noting that the Constitution demands that public participation should be carried out before introduction of new rules.
"Most of the school buses in this country were bought by parents to assist the learners and also the community. We want to tell the minister that he has no right to dictate on what we bought using the constituency fund and fundraisers from parents. If that is the case, then they should buy their own [buses]," said Tuitoek.
MP Kamuren also said the directive by the examination council (Knec) to merge schools with less than 40 candidates will not apply among the pastoralist communities and in rural areas which he said are still behind in development.
"Whom did the CS consult before issuing such directives and were the parents and teachers involved? He should review such proposals because it could impede learning in the far flung areas with few learners," said Kamuren.
