Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has found himself in trouble after teachers and lecturers threatened to strike following government’s plan to privatize all public schools.
The country’s education stakeholders in a joint presser on Tuesday, February 7 stated that the privatization of public learning institutions will make education costly.
Led by Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) Secretary General (SG) Constantine Wasonga, the educators said that many learners would be locked out in the move as the privatization would force various institutions to raise their fees.
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Wasonga further stated that the educators fear that some unscrupulous businessmen would venture into the program to mint money from the proposals made.
“Investors are interested in making a profit. Where will the poor Kenyan family go to? Will they afford a university education, or does the government only want to leave education to the rich?
“I want to say that Jogoo House will speak because once KNUT is out, all other unions will also be out and there will be no learning in this country. We are not going to leave the management of education to cartels,” Wasonga stated.
Addressing the press, Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary General Collins Oyuu was of the idea that the government reviews the management of schools, indicating that public schools were still lagging in infrastructural development.
Oyuu further urged the government to stop the mushrooming of private schools and universities affecting public admission.
“This undermines the right to education and exploits teachers and education personnel. Underfunding, inadequate infrastructure, serious teacher shortages, and stagnant capitation have led to the unfortunate debate to privatize university education.
“All of the above exposes the education system in Kenya through privatization and commercialization,” Oyuu stated.
Responding to threats by the educators, the Ministry of Education refuted reports that it had already kickstarted plans to privatise schools across the country.
The privatization of some public universities was proposed by Trade Cabinet Secretary, Moses Kuria, who argued that the move would help address the financial crisis at the institutions.
“I’m talking to international investors who are willing and ready to come and partner with our universities to privatize some of the universities, I’m not saying all,” the CS proposed.
