Uhuru puts corrupt government officials on notice

President Uhuru Kenyatta launched the national distribution of core course books for primary and secondary education with a promise to act tough against graft in his final term.

He regretted that most Kenyans holding public offices had abused the system through corrupt ways which had contributed to misuse of taxpayers’ funds.

He such officials on notice, asking them to change their ways or prepare to ship out, promising to act tough against such abuse.

“Some of the changes I am proposing during my final term is to come down hard on individuals who are abusing our systems for personal gain. They must change or step aside because the time to laugh over these issues is over,” he said.

CORE SUBJECTS

Mr Kenyatta was speaking on Friday when he flagged off the distribution of public school text books as part of the new government initiative to ensure each student has a textbook for each of the core subjects in both primary and secondary schools.

He flagged off six million books targeting the one million students who have joined Form One after the 100 per cent transition rate.

Each form one student will get six books; Maths, English, Biology, Kiswahili, Chemistry and Physics.

The President said that when the reform of the new curriculum started last year, it had been observed that in Kigali, Rwanda, books published in Kenya were sold at a half the price in Nairobi.

“Let’s accept that we have abused our systems as the people of Kenya,” the president said during the launch held at the Centre for Mathematics, Science and Technological Education in Africa (Cemastea) in Nairobi.

NEW CURRICULUM

“We must teach the ethics and national values in our schools, but as adults we must practice some of these things for the sake of our children. We must set the values for the kind of society we want to live in.”

The President said the new books’ programme is one of the important components of the comprehensive reform being implemented in the education sector that also includes the introduction of the new educational curriculum.

The President further insisted that the reforms in the curriculum are not just on track but they form a critical component of the legacy of his administration and reminded the Ministry of education, which is implementing the programme, to ensure the process is consultative.

“The dialogue we have been looking for is to produce results that are beneficial to our children. The Minister [for Education] must engage…Let all as Kenyans talk to one another. It through sitting and engaging that is useful to the future of our children,” he said.

NEW REFORMS

He directed the Ministry of Interior to facilitate Regional coordinators to liaise with Regional Coordinators of Education to convene stakeholder forums in all the regions so as to educate the public on the new curriculum.

The text book programme is part of the new reforms being undertaken in the education sector.

Under this programme, the government has spent Sh7.5 billion to ensure every student in between class seven and eight in Primary schools, and Form one to four in secondary schools, get at least six books of the core subjects.

Previously, the government spent Sh20 billion annually to purchase the books but it has reduced the costs by going directly to the publishers.