Investing in education is my priority, Rabai MP

By Johnson Chengo

Rabai Member of Parliament Kenga Mupe has promised to invest heavily in the education sector to change the lives of residents

Speaking during a prize-giving ceremony at Kaliang’ombe primary school, Mupe said he will work closely with the two sets of government to improve education levels and urged residents to forge a united front.

“Education has always been close to my heart because I understand the power that it has in changing an individual’s life and this is why I found it fit to work with different stakeholders including the County government to make sure the level of education in Rabai Sub-County is uplifted,” he said.

He said his office seeks to uplift the lives of poor families by ensuring their children get an equal opportunity in acquiring education.

“These children are our future pillars. It’s our mandate to give them the right education platform. We will produce doctors, engineers, lawyers, teachers and something else that will have a far-reaching impact in the community while turning the status of their families around,” said Mupe.

Already, over 10,000 secondary school and Vocational training institution students in Rabai Sub-County have benefited from the NG-CDF scholarship funds amounting to Sh35 million since the MP took office.

Mupe said the area is among the poorest Sub-Counties in Kilifi, with a high number of parents facing challenges of raising school fees.

“I realize that a high number of top performers come from poor families and while a few managed to acquire bursaries, they later drop out and join day schools as parents cannot sustain them in boarding schools, I want to assure you this will not happen, we have put proper plans of supporting them fully through the NG-CDF  and other scholarship program,” added Mupe.

Rabai Sub-County Director of Education Miriam Ngome said broken communication between board members and headteachers is the main cause of poor performance in many schools.

She said absenteeism among teachers is also attributed to the fallout of school heads and boards of management.

“Poor linkages between school boards and headteachers normally reduce the capacity to provide quality education. In most cases teachers may be in school but still don’t appear in classes to teach because they take advantage of the fall-out,” she said.

Kaliang’ombe primary school headteacher Joseph Kazungu urged parents to take care of their children during the holiday season.

He said parents should be close to their children and talk to them to understand the hurdles they face and guide them, adding that tutors do their level best to discipline students while in school.

“The August holiday is almost over, I’m asking parents to control their children’s lives, ensure they know their movements in and out. We want these children back in September,” he said.

The headteacher said it’s easy for the parents to discover when their children are engaging in questionable activities if they take the time to talk to them.