PS: Schools will not close early, in spite of fires

Kaimosi Boys High School, in Vihiga County, students try to salvage their properties after fire razed their dormitory on July 15, 2016. Senate Majority Leader Kithure Kindiki pledged to push the government to insure public schools against fire and other natural calamities. PHOTO | TONNY OMONDI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Speaking at Mfangano High School, Homa Bay County, Dr Kipsang said the changes introduced this year in a bid to curb cheating in national examinations were not negotiable.
  • He asked religious leaders to play a leading role in helping to contain the unrest, saying they were best-placed to educate students on good morals by inculcating Christian values.
  • Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i said recently that parents will bear the costs of reconstructing the affected schools.

The government on Sunday ruled out closing schools earlier than scheduled in the wake of a relentless wave of arson attacks that has hit the education sector.

Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang said demands by teachers unions that public schools be closed early to avert further chaos would not be met, and asked headteachers to observe the official school calendar.

Speaking at Mfangano High School, Homa Bay County, Dr Kipsang said the changes introduced this year in a bid to curb cheating in national examinations were not negotiable.

“We took those steps to ensure that students sit examinations in a conducive environment,” said Dr Kipsang.

Early this year, the government banned visiting and prayer days in all schools in the third term to limit interaction between students and outsiders.

To accommodate the changes, term two, which was initially scheduled to end on August 5, was extended to August 12, shortening the holidays to only two weeks from the previous four.

Third term will last only nine weeks from the previous 12, beginning on August 29 and ending on October 28.

The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) and the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) have opposed the changes, which they have blamed for the unrest in public boarding schools, where dormitories and tuition blocks in more than 90 institutions have been burned down in the past two months.

On Sunday, Deputy President William Ruto called for a collective approach to restore calm in schools.

“It is our collective responsibility to engage our young people in our schools so that they desist from activities that derail education or lead to destruction of property,” said Mr Ruto at the launch of the Africa Inland Church (AIC), Sirikwa West region, in Uasin Gishu County.

He asked religious leaders to play a leading role in helping to contain the unrest, saying they were best-placed to educate students on good morals by inculcating Christian values, which could help them be good and law-abiding citizens.

“It is time religious leaders took a leading role in making sure spiritual values guide students in decision-making in schools,” said Mr Ruto.

WEAK POLICIES
As he spoke, seven students of Mwaani Girls High School in Makueni County were being arrested in connection with the burning of a dormitory at the institution on Sunday, and are expected to be taken to court today.

The school was closed indefinitely, awaiting a decision of the board of management that will meet on Wednesday.

Senate Majority Leader Kithure Kindiki pledged to push the government to insure public schools against fire and other natural calamities.

The Tharaka-Nithi senator, speaking at Ntumu Boarding Primary where he handed over a new bus to the school, said that he would engage the relevant institutions to look into the possibility of cushioning parents from paying for the cost of destruction.

Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i said recently that parents will bear the costs of reconstructing the affected schools. And speaking at a prize-giving ceremony at Kisii School at the weekend, Dr Matiang’i blamed irresponsible parenting for the unrest.

Prof Kindiki said the rampant arson cases in schools was a clear indication of ruined morals among the students and asked school heads to improve their relationship with students to minimise riots.

Knut Secretary-General Wilson Sossion blamed the unrest on weak and ill-thought out government policies and demanded that schools be closed early to ease tension among students, parents and teachers.

“It is because of the bad policies that the Education Cabinet Secretary has introduced in the education sector that we are now witnessing these unnecessary losses,” Mr Sossion said in Bomet County.

He called for the formation of an independent team formed to investigate the anarchy.

Mr Sossion said a team that was formed last week by the government is partisan as it only brings together officials from the Interior and Education ministries, and will not do enough or come up with a convincing report.

“We recommend its re-constitution to enable it come up with an empirical investigatory report that can help us deal with this matter once and for all,” said Mr Sossion in a statement Sunday.

TAKE BLAME

The eight-member team led by Mrs Claire Omolo, secretary of administration in the Office of the President, has 30 days to submit its report to Education and Interior Cabinet Secretaries Fred Matiang’i and Maj Gen(Rtd) Joseph Nkaissery, respectively.

The Knut official said the government should take full responsibility for the damages caused by the fires.

“Knut will not accept the transfer of costs to struggling parents, some of whom are unable to pay fees for their children. The government should fund reconstruction of damaged dormitories and compensate schools and students from the State disaster kitties,” said Mr Sossion.

Dr Matiangi’i has maintained that parents will bear the cost of the arson attacks that are now running into Sh500 million since the start of this term in May.

“No government resources, including CDF, will be used in the repair of destroyed schools,” he said. The union is also demanding the release of teachers being held by police on claims of involvement in arson.

Reporting by Ouma Wanzala, Aggrey Omboki , Nyaboga Kiage, Alex Njeru, KNA and DPPS.