Peter Kaluma, Member of Parliament for Homa Bay Town Constituency, has criticized Chief Justice Martha Koome for her views on the education funding model. In a statement posted on X on August 23, 2024, Kaluma acknowledged that while Koome’s concerns are valid, they are based on inaccurate and misleading information.
The ODM lawmaker rejected Koome’s recommendations and argued that secondary education should be made free to establish a clear and effective system for subsidizing university education.
“Good concern well raised by @CJMarthaKoome, but based on false, incorrect background information and wrong prescription. Let’s make secondary education free and create clear, just and proper systems to secure subsidised University education,” MP Kaluma said.
On Wednesday, August 21, Chief Justice Martha Koome expressed concerns about the new higher education funding model introduced by the government. She criticized the model as discriminatory, warning that its implementation could lead to significant inequalities among universities.
Koome called for a comprehensive review of the structure, arguing that the model could exacerbate disparities within higher education institutions. She proposed consolidating all bursaries into a single fund to make education free for everyone, as uncertainty and confusion persist for the thousands of learners preparing to enter universities under the new funding system.
“When you follow you find that a child of a well-to-do family has been put in Band 1 while a child who has qualified to go to the university can be there crying, saying I have been put in Band 5 when I ought to be in Band 1 and therefore I cannot afford to go to the university,” Koome said.
The CJ further suggested that if all the money given to legislatures is consolidated into one fund, the amount will be sufficient for the government to run a free education programme.
“There’s a bursary fund from the taxpayers’ money given to the governor, women rep, given to the MP through CDF and MCA, all those bursaries, how are they disbursed? Why don’t you put them in Education and make Education free for all?” she suggested.
Good concern well raised by @CJMarthaKoome, but based on false, incorrect background information and wrong prescription.
Let's make secondary education free and create clear, just and proper systems to secure subsidised University education. pic.twitter.com/g9VA5kVwIj
— Hon. George Peter Kaluma, CBS. MP. (@gpdkaluma) August 23, 2024
