George Magoha’s pledge when he was being vetted for the job may be the biggest impediment that may force him to give it away.
On Wednesday, May 6, outraged MPs accused the Education CS of not properly steering education matters in the country by claiming that students were pursuing their studies through digital means.
Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wah reminded the CS that while appearing before the Parliamentary Appointments Committee, Magoha vowed to step aside if he failed to deliver.
“I sat in the Appointments Committee Mr Speaker, under your chairmanship, when CS Magoha said that if he would not be able to perform, he would rather resign.
“CS Magoha, if there is something that is stopping you from delivering today, resign,” challenged Ichung’wah.
The lawmakers also claimed that the CS lacked an understanding of the education sector and “lack of knowledge of proper guidelines for learners” during the Covid-19 pandemic.
They also accused him of flip-flopping on directions that were expected to ensure children were learning at home.
“Mr Speaker, the problem we have with the Ministry of Education is that we have a CS who is addressing children and parents the same way. He thinks parents are children,” stated Junet Mohammed.
Duale went as far as to pick a case scenario in which schools in Garissa were serving as temporary shelters for families that had nearly lost everything in the ongoing floods.
“I have just received a statement that the schools in Garissa are hosting people displaced by the flooding in Tana River. There is no radio.
“The Minister for Education must come out clearly and even tell us about this exam he is saying he is not going to postpone. It is like he knows when Coronavirus is going to end,” stated Duale.
The ministry has maintained that the national examinations for both primary schools and secondary schools would not be moved to a later date.
He explained that the authorities had resorted to reducing the August holiday to two weeks in order to give learners more time to prepare for the examinations.
