Saboti Member of Parliament Caleb Amisi has accused the government of neglecting the future of the country by reducing capitation funds for secondary schools.
Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi informed the National Assembly Committee on Education that the government is unable to sustain the full capitation of Sh 22,000 per secondary school student and is now managing only Ksh.16,600.
Mr. Amisi stated that the reduction in capitation fees undermines education, which is crucial for the country's socioeconomic growth.
"How can our country competitively position itself on the global stage if we don't value education, which is an equalizer?" questioned the MP during the disbursement of bursary cheques amounting to Sh71.7 million to school heads.
He pointed out the irony of the government's economic development goals for the country while there is no adequate corresponding funding to achieve those goals.
"The Competence-Based Curriculum, which has been touted as a game changer, is not working, yet we want to grow like Korea and Japan," he observed.
He also expressed regret that Parliament has been taken over by the executive, making it unable to effectively carry out its oversight role.
"The president and my party leader have total control over how parliamentarians vote, which undermines the independence of the National Assembly and Senate," he noted.
The first phase of the bursary disbursement has benefitted 15,000 applicants, while the remaining 9,000 will be included in a second phase soon.