We Will Be Firm And Very Ruthless! – CS Matiangi’s Stern Warning. - Thika Town Today

Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i addressing parents and students of Maryhill Girls High School on Friday during the school's prize giving day. The school recorded a great improvement in last year's KCSE results despite the shock and disbelief that hit so many ‘giant’ schools who performed dismally in the 2016 KCSE.

Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has issued a very stern warning to people still holding fake education certificates pointing out that it was very unfortunate to see some leaders promoting a culture of insincerity and lawlessness.

Speaking during a prize giving ceremony at Maryhill Girls High School on Friday, Matiang’i lamented about a cartel that had degraded the education sector for more than a decade through awarding of fake degrees to unqualified persons thereby jeopardising the country’s education standards in the eyes of the international community.

“There is a new breed of very strange people running around with fake degrees. As the CS responsible for Education in this country I will not sit back and watch the standards of education get compromised at the expense of innocent children. My number one business is the interest of the child. We will be firm, objective and ruthless towards this fraud. We will ensure that the law is followed,” said Matiang’i.

He dared anyone who felt aggrieved by the stringent measures that his ministry was taking against this fraud that he was very ready to face them in court.

“If you (politicians) feel so aggrieved go to Parliament and amend this law (on degrees)! You either have the degree or you don’t. Otherwise, I am ready to face you in court if so wish!”

The CS further warned school heads colluding with suppliers to defraud the government that their days were numbered. He said that corruption, wastage and mismanagement of resources in schools had made the education of this country to be expensive.

Matiang’i argued that some corrupt officials in the system had created an artificial deficit in resources sent to schools by the government saying that the ministry had disbursed enough funds to cater for proper management of all learning institutions. He warned that his ministry will take full charge on the management of school resources and ensure that each school could account for all monies received from the government and it was evident in the kind of resources and infrastructure on the ground.

“I am not going to watch school heads misappropriate school funds. My ministry is going to involve a multi-agency team of officers who include those in the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to audit these schools and check on wastage or misappropriation of public resources,” Matiang’i warned.

The Education CS praised Maryhill Girls High School Principal Ms. Imelda Barasa for what he termed as prudent management of school resources adding that as a ministry, they were going to do everything possible to ensure that the school’s projected development plans was fully implemented without necessarily exerting any additional burden to the parents.

“Your principal here is one of the best performing school heads in the country. We will support her and work with her. I want you (school’s BOM) to schedule a meeting within the next 7 days to deliberate on alternative sources of raising these funds. I will come in where necessary to support you and to that effect, my ministry has today injected sh. 12 million towards that project,” said Matiang’i.

Catholic Archbishop His Eminence John Cardinal Njue thanked the CS for his efforts to bring sanity in learning institutions and urged him on. He appealed to students to avoid engaging themselves with the current political activities during their holidays as this would ruin their future.

“To you students, we you go for your holidays, please remain focused in your education. Do not let this electioneering period distract you from your goals in life. And please maintain peace,” said Cardinal Njue.

The school’s principal expressed her pride in her students, staff and parents for the cooperation they had accorded her administration, the result of which was success after another. She also thanked the local leadership for the support they have offered the institution in its endeavour to achieve its goals.

He said that they were now in the process of starting digital learning which will commence immediately they put up the required infrastructure.

Maryhill Girls High School recorded an improvement in last year's KCSE results that were announced by Education CS Fred Matiang'i. Despite the shock and disbelief that had hit so many ‘giant’ schools who performed dismally in the 2016 KCSE, 98.4% of Maryhill students managed to beat the entry point into public universities.

The school attained a mean standard score of 9.4 of a B plain which was slightly higher than the previous mean score of 9.23. Maryhill also maintained her number of straight As (4) recorded in the previous two years consecutively.