Ojaamong refutes claims governors want education devolved

Busia County governor Sospeter Ojaamong. He has clarified that governors had no intention of taking over the education sector but only certain sections of the same. He said the governors wanted to develop the education sector through creating ideal structures and learning conditions. PHOTO/FILE 

In Summary

• Mr Ojaamong said the county governments only wanted to assist in infrastructural developments in the education sector.
• Mr Ojaamong dismissed reports that the governors had wanted to take over the hiring and payment of teachers.
• "What we want to do is just improve learning conditions by building classrooms and improving infrastructure in the schools," said Mr Ojaamong.

By RAPHAEL WANJALA
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Governors have come out to clear the air over reports that county governments wanted education devolved.

Busia County governor, Sospeter Ojaamong, said governors had no intention of taking over the education sector but only certain sections of the same.

Mr Ojaamong said the county governments only wanted to assist in infrastructural developments in the education sector.

He said the governors wanted to develop the education sector through creating ideal structures and learning conditions.

Mr Ojaamong dismissed reports that the governors had wanted to take over the hiring and payment of teachers.

He said the governors wanted to improve education through taking over the role of building of classrooms from the national government.

"We have no intention of taking over hiring and payment of teachers.

That we leave it to the national government.

BUILD CLASSROOMS

What we want to do is just improve learning conditions by building classrooms and improving infrastructure in the schools," said Mr Ojaamong.

He said the reports doing rounds that they had wanted the education sector devolved were unfounded saying that recruiting, staffing and payment of teachers will still remain the prerogative of the national government.

Mr Ojaamong was reacting after Knut national officials warned governors against what they termed as interfering with teachers affairs.

Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) Deputy Chair, Wycliffe Mutei, said the union was completely opposed to the education sector being devolved saying the county governments could not handle the docket.

Mr Mutei said that the governors should leave the teachers affairs alone and let the national government handle it.

"We believe the county governments cannot handle the education sector and we are asking them to leave teachers alone.

If they cannot properly manage their counties and staff how then can they handle the teachers' issues?" posed Mr Mutei.

The Knut leaders were speaking in Kamolo, Teso North during the burial of Hellen Ekirapa, mother to Knut Executive Officer, George Okwara.