Matiang’i wants parents to deposit cash in schools to pay for indiscipline

Parents will be forced to deposit money in schools that will be lost should their children breach rules if a proposal by the Ministry of Education meant to curb indiscipline is adopted.

Education secretary Fred Matiang’i told the Senate Committee on Education that plans are underway to introduce an indemnity agreement between the parents and the schools.

Under the agreement, parents will deposit cash in schools that will be ceded to the institutions should their children break rules. Cash to be ceded will be graduated based on the severity of the breach.

“We are considering making parents sign an indemnity agreement with the schools hoping that this will compel them to be more involved in the activities of their children in school,” said Dr Matiang’i.

The measure follows an escalating wave of arson attacks that has hit public secondary schools and has seen 130 students charged in court.

Unresolved grievances

Constitutional lawyer Peter Wanyama opposed the plans.

“The indemnity agreement is largely unnecessary because parents already pay school fees which covers for contingencies,” he said.

The Constitution requires wide consultation for the regulations to become operational, including public participation and parliamentary approval.

Dr Matiangi said introducing the indemnity agreement is aimed at saving government resources including Constituency Development Fund that are normally used for reconstruction destroyed school property.

Preliminary results into student unrests in 2016 revealed that lack of coherent and focused structures for engagement with school management was to blame.

Other causes for the unrest include unresolved grievances that school management failed to address in time and weak supervision and quality assessment in schools.