A ray of hope for BOM teachers after Education Cabinet Assistant Secretary (CAS) Zachary Kinuthia said they are in final stage of data verification which will end tomorrow and that BOM teachers should expect salaries within two weeks.
The education CAS also said they will issue a statement tomorrow concerning the matter. He said tomorrow also is the final date for BOM teachers data verification.
Speaking through Radio Maisha interview hosted by Emmanuel Mwashumbe Mr Zacky Kinuthia said they stopped treasury from releasing money to school accounts after it was found out that the BOM list data submitted for salary payment had numerous discrepancies.
However Mr Kinuthia has assured the teachers that they have embarked on a new formulae for verifying the teachers so that the money only reaches the targeted people.
Mr Kinuthia also said greedy school heads are behind the delay in payment of BOM teachers salaries but assured the teachers that the money will reach them after they took a step to verify BOM teachers found in schools by themselves. He said the maximum time the teachers should wait for the payment to be effected is two weeks but its possible it could be earlier than that.
Last week the ministry of education said kshs Sh15.4 billion has been released to enable public schools prepare for reopening in January.
Of these, Sh13.3 the ministry said will go towards arrangements for social distance, hand washing and purchase of thermo-guns in schools while Sh2.2 billion will pay salaries of teachers employed by the Boards of Management (BoM) and non-teaching staff, such as watchmen.
Last week also it emerged that the data of 43, 000 BOM teachers submitted by TSC to the Ministry may not be accurate as some teachers had quit following the March closure of schools to contain spread of Covid-19.
A letter by TSC dated August 4 to the ministry said the data submitted reflected the pay roll status before the pandemic.
“The data being submitted was updated in February. However, to ensure accountability in case of payment of BoM teachers by the government, each head of institution should provide documentary evidence to confirm employment status of each teacher,” said Dr Nancy Macharia, TSC Secretary.
It emerged some teachers were fired or sent on compulsory leave while others decided to quit after it emerged schools may close for long.