The head teacher of Kariobangi South Primary, Pamela Mang’oli, is on the radar over claims from parents and guardians that she has become notorious for demanding extra levies. Irate parents claim that Mrs Mang’oli tends to introduce extra levies without consulting parents and students who fail to pay are sent back home even during class hours.
It has come to the attention of The Weekly Vision that last week students were sent home over levies for the school feeding programme, yet the county government has introduced the ‘Dishi na County’ school feeding plan. The initiative by Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja seeks to provide lunch for public primary school children at a subsidised cost of Ksh. 5 per meal.
The Weekly Vision has a demand letter from Mrs. Mang’oli to a student dated September 29, 2023. The letter reads “Dear parent of… (name withheld for fear of victimisation), you are required to pay Ksh. 8,570 arrears by October 2, 2023, failure which your child will not be allowed in class”.
The parents of affected pupils are now appealing to Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja to come to their aid and tame the rogue head teacher for exploiting them during these hard economic times. Sources say the head teacher is known for running the school as a private entity and does not consult the Parents Association before introducing new levies.
There have been calls from a section of the parents for her transfer from the school, with claims that the school has not been performing well in KCPE ever since she took over. But even as parents celebrated the introduction of the ‘Dishi na County’ school feeding program, sources say that the program may turn out to be a cash cow for a few individuals who are busy plotting how to loot the funds allocated for the program.
Already, Gatina MCA Kennedy Swaka has raised a red flag over the program and now wants to know how finance matters for the program are being handled. The MCA questioned why the county executive is charging Ksh. 5 per pupil for each meal, yet stakeholders have pumped in millions of shillings to sustain the programme.
The MCA claimed that there is great concern over accountability for the funds collected since such collections are not backed by any known policy or legal framework. Records indicate that the first phase of the school feeding programme started last month, targeting 81,208 children in 45 selected public primary schools.
The MCA also wants the County Assembly Committee on Health to inquire whether the said special feeding fund bank account was opened and who the account signatories are.
He further wants the committee to investigate and report on whether any private partners are supporting the county in implementing the programme.
