By Rodgers Omondi, Busia
Matayos Member of Parliament Geoffrey Odanga has urged the national government to increase capitation funds for schools, saying the current allocation is insufficient to support school operations and learning activities.
Speaking during the opening of a new administration block at Siteko Comprehensive School in Matayos Sub-county, Odanga said many schools are struggling to run their programs due to inadequate funding.
“Many schools are unable to operate smoothly because of insufficient government funding. As we work to make education affordable for all, the government must ensure that the money allocated to schools is increased and released on time,” he said.
The legislator noted that the primary school sector remains largely underfunded, limiting learners’ opportunities to participate in co-curricular activities.
“Primary school learners currently receive only Ksh 93 each for co-curricular activities, which is not enough. This is a critical stage where their talents can be nurtured and developed, and we need to invest more in them for the benefit of our children,” Odanga added.
Odanga also highlighted his efforts through the NG-CDF to improve school infrastructure and create a better learning environment to boost academic performance.
“We have constructed a modern administration block worth Ksh 8.1 million at Siteko Comprehensive School. We are also undertaking several storey building projects in schools due to limited space for tuition blocks. The project at Mundika Boys Primary is ongoing, and in the next financial year, we have budgeted for three more storey building projects in schools across the sub-county,” he said.
The MP further urged residents to prioritize development when electing leaders and to maintain peace and unity.
“Servant leadership is what will help our people. When the time comes, let us choose leaders with proven development records. We must also maintain peace because politics comes and goes, but we remain brothers and sisters. We should not allow divisive politics to separate us when we have families, communities, and a country to build,” he said.
