Embu leaders call for devolution of education

Leaders from Embu County have called for the devolution of some education functions in order to enable counties improve infrastructure.

The leaders said that the education infrastructure was in a bad shape and that the counties were only mandated to handle Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) and polytechnics.

They want the law amended to allow county governments’ involvement in the infrastructure development in secondary and primary schools where the majority of the students are found.

Embu majority leader, Andrew Musakwa, said that some schools were in a deplorable condition, adding that it was the national government’s prerogative to ensure that schools are habitable.

Musakwa added that counties were best placed to handle the school infrastructure since leaders from the counties were aware which ones need attention.

Runyenjes MCA Munene said that the functions of education, if devolved, would ease parents’ burden of construction since the county governments will handle the job.

Munene stated that despite the fact that counties were busy issuing bursaries, the condition at which some of the students were learning was not conducive.

This comes six months after governors in Western Kenya urged the government to devolve education to counties arguing that doing so would improve academic performance and infrastructure in schools and tackle other challenges facing the sector.