Parents in Kilifi and Tana River Counties have been put on notice over their children who do not attend school.
The National Government Administration Officers (NGAO) are on high alert and will start cracking down on rogue parents once elected leaders to release bursaries to schools.
At Matsangoni division in Kilifi North Sub County, Kilifi County, the area Assistant County Commissioner (ACC) Patience Dama said that parents should not have an excuse of failing to take their children to school since the government had already notified school heads.
“We will start a door-to-door crackdown on rogue parents who don’t want to take their children to school. We were waiting for elected leaders to release bursaries so that we get no excuse from parents. Head teachers have also been advised not to send children home due to small debts,” said Ms Dama during the Kilifi North National Government Constituency Development Fund (NGCDF) bursary distribution exercise at her office.
And while distributing cheques worth Sh. 4.6 million to 800 students from the Kilifi County Ward Scholarship Fund at Kijiwetanga area in Ganda ward, Malindi Sub County, area Member of County Assembly (MCA) Oscar Wanje asked parents to be steadfast and help the government achieve the 100 percent transition rate.
He added that the current economic situation was not healthy for parents who have to educate their children but he urged them to seek help from his office so that their children do not remain at home.
Kilifi North MP Owen Baya while launching the distribution of bursary cheques worth Sh. 19.2 million said that the transition rate in his constituency was still very low since only 60 percent of students were attending school.
Mrs Patience Tsuma, who works at the Kilifi Women Representative’s office said that many pupils excelled in the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and the requests for bursaries is overwhelming yet the funds are not enough.
“Many children performed well in their KCPE examination and the bursary application we have at the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) is way too high compared to the available funds. We urge parents to also try their best and take their children to school.
In Garsen constituency, area MP Ali Wario has teamed up with elected leaders, school heads and parents and defined an elaborate scheme that will ensure all students attend school.
He said that in the plan in the Sh. 12, 000 fee model, the NGCDF will pay Sh. 5,000, the ward scholarship fund will pay Sh. 4,000 while parents will be required to pay Sh. 1,000 every term or Sh.3, 000 every year.
Tana Delta Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) John Kipsiwa said parents had neglected their roles and left their children to the government.
“Parents are lazy and negligent and they have abandoned their children to the government. Take care of your children so that we get to the 100 percent transition,” he said.
