Kenya Secondary School Heads Association Chairman John Awiti. Photo courtesy of mobile.nation.co.ke

Kenya Secondary School Heads Association Chairman John Awiti. Photo courtesy of mobile.nation.co.ke

By Cyrus Kioko

The state of confusion on the ongoing national strike has left non teaching staff in public schools hopeless as they may lack their September salary.

One month after the official opening dates for term three, the government has not released free education funds which contribute to a higher percentage in paying non teaching staff.

The most affected are day schools which rely 100 percent on the government funds, while boarding schools equally suffering as they realized poor turn-up of student’s hence poor school fees payments.

On Tuesday 29, September School heads appealed to the Government to release free primary and subsidized secondary education funds.

Kenya Secondary School Heads Association Chairman John Awiti said they lack funds to pay staff employed by boards of management.

“The most affected are day schools, which rely on the money. School heads are helpless at the moment as staffs are demanding salaries,” said Mr. Awiti.

Primary and secondary and schools are supposed to receive a 20 per cent grant from the government. Fifty per cent was released in the first term while 30 per cent was released in the second term.

The same fate befalls special needs schools who are supposed to have got funds by July to pay for staff that take care of the students and also provide for the special needs of the students.

Arthur Injenga, Special Schools Heads Association chairperson said that 200 schools are not in position to provide essential services to the students.

“We have not paid our support staff that takes care of these children”, said Mr. Injenga.

The staff affected, speaking to Kenya Monitor, revealed how they are stack since they totally depend on the pay for survival mostly those living within Nairobi.

“I have to pay may house rent, electricity bill, and cater for other basics. I’m confused of what do come end month,”

exclaimed Joseph Kinyua, a resident of Shauri Moyo and a staff in one of the public schools in Nairobi.

Jane Nzisa from Eastleigh said they (with other non teaching staff employees) where paid half the August salary due to poor turn up of students this term and wondered how they will survive if the September salary is not processed.

Many of those who spoke to Kenya Monitor urged the government to hearken to the call by the Heads association and release the free education fund.