EACC report pokes holes in schools textbook storage

An Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) report has poked holes in the storage of textbooks in public schools.

The report titled ‘‘Examination into the Disbursement and Utilisation of Free Primary Education Funds,’’ observes that despite the State releasing funds to schools to construct storage facilities, most have not.

The confidential report says some schools bought one wooden cupboard, which is kept in the head teacher or deputy head teacher’s office.

“In other schools, metallic cabinets are available though not locatable while in others there are no storage facilities,” observes the EACC report dated September 2015.

It goes on: “In those schools, purchased books are recorded in a register by the deputy head teacher and then issued to respective subject teachers, who in turn lock the books in their cabinets in the staff room. At the end of the term, the books are all stored in the deputy teacher’s office. These expose the books to the risk of break-in and theft.”

The EACC report notes that its team was informed of break–ins and theft of books in several schools in Nyeri and Embu counties.

It was also observed that storage areas in most schools were disorganised, poorly illuminated and very dusty.

“In some instances, tattered books were kept in cartons or scattered all over the store. In others, books and materials were not systematically organised by subject or other predictable classification system,” it adds.

READ: Matiang’i bars sharing of books among learners

Firewood and broken furniture’s were also kept in the same store in some schools while in a few cases, the same stores also served as kitchens.

“This poses a severe risk to instruction materials in the event of a fire outbreak. Poor storage of instruction materials shortens their shelf-life. This coupled with lack of proper records of the stored items creates a fertile ground for the loss of materials,” it adds.

The EACC team also noted that in some schools, books kept in stores were not stamped long after they had been delivered, contrary to the law which requires that every copy is stamped and a unique serial number written in the space provided  for the stamp.

It also noted that some schools do not properly maintain records of delivery notes and other documents used to supply leaning materials to schools.

“This makes it difficult to compare orders with the deliveries made and confirm that there are no variations and is a loophole that can be exploited to pay for items not actually delivered,” states the report.

The EACC observed that no contingency measures had been put in place by the Ministry of Education to mitigate  the effects of disasters such as floods and fire citing Kisumu county where schools are located in flood prone areas.

In Bungoma County, the team was informed that the district schools audit office burnt down destroying all records. 

In both cases back-up copies had not been maintained  in a separate  location, thus making it difficult  to reconstruct information.

The team also  noted massive procurement of story books in some schools, yet they had not attained a sufficient levels of text book to pupil ratio and in most classes several students were sill sharing books in core subjects.

“The Education Principal Secretary (PS) should ensure proper prioritisation of instructional materials purchased by the schools. For every school, a strategy should be implemented to ensure adequate supply of books for all classes and in all subjects,” states the report.