Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok has urged all public schools to shift fully to the government’s electronic procurement system (EGP), emphasizing its role in promoting transparency and efficiency in school operations.
Speaking at St. James Esumeyia Primary School in Kakamega during the unveiling of two new classrooms funded through the T.I.G Project 2023/2024, Bitok noted that the digital platform will significantly reduce corruption and mismanagement of resources. According to him, the system enables real-time tracking of every stage in the procurement cycle from the submission of bids to the awarding of contracts and processing of payments.
“This is about accountability and value for money,” said Bitok. “Gone are the days of opaque procurement processes that left room for manipulation and misuse of public funds.”
He was joined at the event by Higher Education PS Beatrice Inyangala and East African Community PS Dr. Caroline Karugu, both of whom reiterated the government’s pledge to boost infrastructure development in learning institutions across the country.
In addition to his push for digital procurement, Bitok took a firm stance against corporal punishment and sexual harassment in schools, calling them archaic and illegal practices that have no place in modern education. He disclosed that investigations are ongoing in Marsabit County over a reported case of misconduct and warned that those implicated will face the full force of the law.
