Baringo County commissioner (CC) Stephen Kutwa has dismissed reports about the existence of ghost schools within the region.
Kutwa was alluding to a recent exposé by one of the local media stations to the effect that three schools in Barwesa Ward, Baringo North Sub County were non-existence yet they have sign posts and gates.
According to the story which was aired on television and published in a local daily, Kaptiony Girls High, Kampi Nyasi and Kasaka Secondary Schools have board of management (BOM) members and a school fees account but no learners or teachers.
It was also reported that Kaptiony was one of the polling centres in Baringo North Constituency during the 2022 general elections.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has since responded to the allegations stating that the information is inaccurate and misleading.
Speaking to KNA in his Kabarnet office on Monday, Kutwa cleared the air that indeed the institutions in question have just been proposed by members of the communi
ty but not in operation.
He wondered how such a story could be aired by a reputable media house without the confirmation from his office and that of the County Education Director who were supposed to provide factual information from the ground.
‘We have so many sign posts of several proposed institutions in our county and that does not mean that they are operating. Some of the sign posts might have been put up by the community to protect allocated lands from grabbers,’ Kutwa said.
The County Commissioner revealed that one of the schools mentioned is set to benefit from Sh10 million Equalization Fund for this financial year and that might have captured the eye of opinion leaders allegedly settling their political scores with area member of parliament.
The administrator stated that it was very unfortunate for such people to politicize matters of education in a county which he said was facing numerous challenges like cattle rustling and banditry.
Kutwa urged the media to be truthful and mindful in its repor
ting so as not to paint a negative picture of the county known for many good things.
At the same time, the County Commissioner challenged the Media Council of Kenya (MCK) to make an effort of training grassroots journalists on responsible reporting in order to promote mutual working relationship between the government, community and other actors contributing in social economic development.
Source: Kenya News Agency