NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 28 – The Kenya National Association of Parents on Thursday said it was still carrying out consultations on how to respond to Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i’s declaration that they can no longer purport to speak for the wider population of Kenyan parents.
Association Secretary General Musau Ndunda told Capital News that legal action is among the options they are considering but declined to speak further on the matter. “We are still consulting our lawyers.”
Matiang’i on Monday instructed his Basic Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang to ensure no monies are remitted to the Association going forward.
He said the Association, on account of its composition, could not claim to represent the national interests of Kenyan parents.
“A thorough review of your constitution reveals that your association is not the umbrella body of parents anticipated in the Basic Education Act. A review of your bylaws does not provide for the country nor school parents associations, as members.
“Instead, it opens up your ‘umbrella’ body to individual memberships. This is inconsistent with the spirit and interests of the Basic Education Act.”
Based on the advice they receive, the Association could decide to forego a suit and overhaul its systems to meet the requirements stipulated.
The third schedule of the Basic Education Act No.14 of 2013 states that: “There shall be established National Parents Associations, County Parents Associations and Sub-County Parents Associations elected by Parents Associations through a delegate system.”
