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Musau Ndunda loses Sh65m-a-year windfall as parents association is banned

By OUMA WANZALA January 28th, 2016 2 min read

Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi has stopped the Kenya National Parents Association (Knap) from forming parents associations in schools with immediate effect.

In a letter dated January 25 and addressed Knap Secretary General Musau Ndunda, Dr Matiangi said the association is not the umbrella body of parents anticipated in the Basic Education Act.

NO MONEY

The Cabinet Secretary also stopped schools from remitting any money to the association.

“ The basic Education Act No 14 of 2013 that came into effect on January 25 2013 legalises and provides a role for the parents association to allow for their effective participation in the development and welfare of their children,” said Dr Matiangi.

He observed that a thorough review of the Knap constitution revealed that it is not the umbrella body of parents anticipated in the Act.

“At any rate, such an umbrella body can only be legitimized by a bottom up, rather a top down process. Going by your constitution and the by -laws, your association has no legal basis under the Basic education Act,” he said.

UMBRELLA BODY 

Dr Matiangi added that a review of the associations by-laws , specifically article 1 on membership , it does not provide for the county nor school parents associations, as members , instead , it opens up your umbrella body to individual membership.

“This is inconsistent with the spirit and interest of the basic Education Act, 2013,” said the Cabinet Secretary.

“I am instructing the principal Secretary for basic Education , to communicate this information to all county directors , who should in turn , effect this directive by among others , stopping any remittance or fees to your organization, from schools or institutions under the ministry,” said Dr Matiangi.

He went on: “The correspondence revokes the content of the letter from the office of the minister for Education addressed to your organization dated February 21 2013.”

COURT CASES

On Wednesday, Mr Ndunda could not be reached for comment as he indicated through a text message that he was held up in a meeting.

The association has filed more than 15 cases in court over the setting up of schools boards therefore paralsying activities in schools.

In the past Mr Ndunda has insisted that his association has a right to form parents association and has demanded millions of shillings from schools.

Early last year the association was demanding Sh65 million from 25,000 primary and 7,700 secondary schools at a rate of Sh2,000 per school.

The Sh2, 000 per school was to support the activities of the association.

HARASSMENT

Kenya Secondary Schools heads association (KESSHA) John Awiti this week complained of harassment of schools heads by the association.

Kenya National union of Teachers(Knut) and Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers(Kuppet) have also called for the ban of the association saying that it does not represent parents and was harassing teachers.