Bungoma: Information and Communication Technology Venture in Primary Schools

Written by Saenyi Daniel School children in a computer lab /Photo/Courtesy. Thirty five schools have each received Sh 100,000 to purchase computers by the ministry of Education to upgrade their education standards which have been dwindling. However, it was revealed that despite the positive strides in the education sector geared to achieving the Vision 2030, the county still has lots of challenges to overcome. Mr. Kennedy Nganga, the KNUT Bungoma Executive secretary said that even with these developments the education system in Bungoma has many challenges.Mr. Kennedy Nganga, the KNUT Bungoma Executive secretary addressing parents, teachers and pupils at Moi DEB primary during the issuing of cheques for purchase of computers. “We have many challenges that are facing us as teachers in Bungoma, the biggest challenges are transfers, and some of the ICT trained teachers are being transferred to other schools leaving some schools without ICT trained teachers. For these upgrade to be successful, teachers need to stay in their schools, we need teachers, not transfers,” said Mr. Nganga. Similarly, a programme has been initiated where teachers will be funded for advancing their skills to be able to deal with the new technological integration brought about by the new dynamics in the education sector. The government has also been urged to prioritize the development of the ICT sector by introducing it even in the most remote areas so that vision 2030 is not only achieved in the major cities in the country. As not all schools will be able to receive the ICT upgrade, five high schools which have electricity in every area will act as a resource centre where primary schools will go for their computer lessons. There will be 20 ICT trained teachers in every High School to help out whenever they are needed. The 35 schools are just the beginning of the upgrade process as 36 schools are set to receive computers as of the beginning of next year. The development of school s in Bungoma County started a few months ago as Mupeli Primary School received Shs 69.3 million to build classes and buy education materials for the school courtesy of donors from Japan. Politics could not stay out of this event as the MP for Kanduyi made clear stand on the issue of paying taxes. Mr. Khangati said that he does not support MP’s paying tax because they help out the society with their money. “We use our money to help out the society more than anyone else so if we pay taxes we won’t have money to give out. This issue of paying tax is always brought up after every budget meeting just to put citizens off the trail of how the money was allocated. The ministry of finance is using this to cover up the fact that most of the money is allocated to the central province,” Said Mr. Khangati.

Debt:Use your own cash for retreats Bungoma civic leaders told

Written by Saenyi Daniel  Bungome residents following the budget reading estimates at the Bungoma Town Hall. Bungoma residents have demanded that money spent by the councilors on retreat should be their own cash and not the tax payer’s money, as they contribute to the debt that the council is trying to resolve with the millions needed for development. This was revealed during the budget reading read out by the Bungoma District council treasurer Cllr. John W Nanyakha  attended by barely had over fifteen councilors. The budget estimates mainly focused on addressing the issues of Health, Education, Water, Roads and Bursaries. The 2011/2012 budget estimated expenditure was at Sh 371,038,881.00 and if the target is fully met, the council will have a surplus of Sh76, 611 at the end of this financial year 2011/2012. The budget allocated for Personnel in the County are estimated at Sh126 million and that for operations at Sh 61 million. Maintenance got around Sh 54 million and Capital projects in the county were allocated Sh 97 million. Finally Debt resolution was at around Sh 33 million which just shows that our development is hindered by the debts we owe. Residents demanded that money spent by the councilors on retreat should be their own cash  because if it was the tax payers money, they are contributing to the debt that the council is try to resolve with the millions needed for development. Education was given priority as many wards got money for construction of classrooms or stationary upgrade. Kibabii, Kimaeti, Soysambu, Bumula, Milima, Makhonge, Lwandanyi were awarded school construction capital. Bungoma District council treasurer Cllr. John W Nanyakha. Health was the next major issue in the Budget and wards like, Kituni, Kiminini, Kabula, Sitikho and Lwandanyi all received about Sh500, 000 each for health centre construction or building laboratories. The Mission statement for the Budget was to provide social and economic services to the county of Bungoma through efficient leadership and strategic partnership. It’s ironical as no partnership was proclaimed with the absence level Bungoma residents claimed that this was an indication of irresponsibility on the councilor’s side as they were to represent their wards. According to the council chairman Mr. Julius Bakasa, the absence is because the councilors have gone to a retreat in Mombasa awaiting the elections. Currently the Bungoma County has experienced a budget drop from position 2 in tax payment to position 88 according to Mr. Wekesa Savimbi. Mr. Bakasa claimed that the reason for the drop was not known and that, either way, they should focus on the future. The personnel money was seen to have doubled from Sh 78 million to Sh 126 million and this according to Mr. Bakasa is not their doing but the ministry of local government. They were just given directions and maybe it’s to increase the manpower needed for development activities. As to how certain projects were chosen for the allocation of funds, the municipality also get orders on what projects to award money. The Local Authorities Service Delivery Action Plan (LASDAP) is the one responsible for who gets what and when. Some of the councilors were accused of evading the citizens by organizing meetings at certain venues and changing them at go time. The chairman was protective of his councilors saying they can never do that and residents just get the wrong addresses.

Envoy rejects bid to upgrade Kamusinga, Lugulu into national schools

Written by Daniel Saenyi

Kenya's Ambassador to Canada Simon Nabukwess. 

Uplifting of selected schools into national schools in every province continues elicit diverse reactions from leaders in western Kenya as they fear missing on admission chances should the quota system be used.

The Quota system provides for 65 per cent chance for locals in the area to be accepted to the provincial schools but if they are upgraded, the locals will get lower chance of about 15 per cent.

In Western province, Lugulu and Kamusinga boys are among the proposed schools for the upgrade, however, the Kenyan Ambassador to Canada Mr. Simon Nabukwess is against the proposed move.

Mr. Nabukwess said that Kamusinga is among the top schools in the country even though it is a provincial school.

He said it portrays the capabilities of local students in the country because it carries the majority of Western students according to the Quota system.

 “If Kamusinga is made a national school, many students from allover the country will be given higher chances of entry than those from within,  so our students will end up losing out on good schools.” He argued.

According to other stakeholders, the 8.4.4 system is also performing its function so it should not be scrapped off  saying in the mother countries where the system was borrowed from like Canada, the system is still functional and serving its purpose.

 If the Government wants to bring new national schools to Western province, the stakeholders reasoned, the government should build new schools instead of transforming the already established schools.

“To what value are we adding to these schools by making them national schools other than locking ourselves out with the quota system?” wondered Nabukwess.

Kenya Corporative Coffee Exporters to help Bungoma coffee farmers get a fair price Read more

Written by Saenyi Daniel Coffee farmer harvesting her berries. Photo/ Courtesy. Coffee farmers from Bungoma County have been encouraged to pull their resources for establishing a milling machine to enable as a profitable venture to their investment. The Western province Coffee Officer Mr. Nathan Makau disclosed that many farmers have been making losses from their produce as they have been exploited by middlemen at the coffee auctions. Makau said that, farmers find it hard to transport the little coffee they have across the borders so the middlemen buy it from them cheaply and sell it at exorbitant prices but giving the farmer very little. Subsequently, he said the two year old coffee corporation aims at sustaining the price of coffee and also acquiring market for farmers but letting them sell their coffee cumulatively to the outside market. He said if farmers raise money for the milling machine in Bungoma County, every farmer will therefore save 10 per cent of the amount they get from the coffee. “Having a milling machine at the locality will enable farmers to see how their coffee will be processed and how much will come out of it and not just being told someone. It will also bring employment to some of the county people mostly the farmers’ kins,” said Makau. The 2011/2012 financial budget has allocated money for coffee farming so the KPCU will be responsible for ensuring that farmers’ needs are met in terms of getting seedlings and fertilizers for their coffee. “Kenya Corporative Coffee Exporters (KCCE) will not in any way be like KPCU because KCCE only caters for the selling of coffee to the outside market while KPCU only farms coffee,” said Makau. The coffee market now is very good and farmers were urged to make use of the now good prices to acquire profits. Currently the farmers get 80per cent of the whole coffee fund and the company only gets the remaining share. The Chairman for KCCE Mr. Stanley Mushiri urged farmers to get licenses for their own security incase of any risks. He insisted that in the interest of getting economic freedom, farmers need to stop selling their coffee on individually and sell it as a union because it’s the only way the get more profits. The Chairman for Kenya Corporative Coffee Exporters (KCCE) Mr. Stanley Mushiri and the Western Province Coffee Officer Mr. Nathan Makau addressing coffee farmers at the Bungoma county Hall.  KCCE will be setting the prices for coffee to favor both the farmers and the buyers so no one will be taken advantage of. Mr. Mushiri also rebuked corruption in the corporative so as to benefit the society and any form of illegalities will lead to expulsion from the society both on farmers and employees. He also insisted on the gender equality and since the corporative is just picking up there will be implementation of the one third posts for women it the corporation.