James Momanyi and Nasibo Kabale @PeopleDailyKe
The second term will not be cut short despite pleas to close schools to stem unrest, the Ministry of Education and other stakeholders have insisted.
Ministry top officials, led by Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i and Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang, yesterday met education stakeholders to deliberate on the wave of arson attacks that has seen facilities in more than 100 schools torched in two months.
The ministry’s declaration comes even as the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) issued a seven-day ultimatum to the government to either close the schools or face industrial unrest.
The union further demanded unconditional release of all teachers arrested in connection with the arson attacks. “We will ask our teachers to withdraw their services from schools if the call for closure is not honoured,” said Kuppet deputy secretary general Moses Nthurima.
Kuppet said it does not support the move by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to order principals and their deputies to live in the schools to tame unrest.
Kuppet chairman Omboko Milemba said although the union agrees with the hiring of guidance and counselling teachers, they are unhappy with part of the resolutions reached by TSC and the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (Kessha).
The ministry and stakeholders also agreed to the establishment of the office of chaplaincy in secondary schools to provide pastoral care to students as one way of addressing the increasing unruly behaviour by learners.
In a statement read by the Anglican Church of Kenya Archbishop Jackson ole Sapit, the stakeholders asked school principals to finalise the school calendar before schools close in August as scheduled.
“The destruction of school infrastructure, mainly dormitories, in some schools is likely to undermine the gains the country continues to make towards improving access, equity and quality of education for the Kenyan child,” the cleric said.
“In light of the fact that only a few days are remaining for Second Term, the principals are encouraged to finalise the normal school calendar. Learners should, therefore, be allowed an adequate and conducive environment to sit their end-of-term tests.”
Others who attended the meeting include clerics from different religious organisations, National Cohesion and Integration Commission, school heads association and TSC. The stakeholders also asked the joint committee appointed by the Education and Interior ministries to conduct a thorough investigation into the school fires to reveal the root causes of the unrest.
A national stakeholder conference on school management will be convened in September to deliberate on among others, how best to create a educational environment that facilitates curriculum delivery while at the same time protecting learners from negative influence.
However, Kuppet’s ultimatum comes days after Knut secretary-general Wilson Sossion and former Education Permanent Secretary, James ole Kiyiapi issued similar demands.
Several leaders, including Cord leader Raila Odinga have also called on Matiang’i to close schools and implement tough measures imposed on schools to curb exam cheating. Milemba said teachers “are not police officers to man every move made by students”.
“There is high input we can bring to the table but we will not disclose until we are called for a stakeholders meeting,” he said. Meanwhile, Deputy President William Ruto has waded into the matter, with an assurance that schools will not be closed earlier than scheduled.
He said the government will instead deal with the criminal elements trying to cause anarchy in the institutions. Ruto said the Government will not give in to blackmail by cartels opposed to reforms in the education sector.
“There is no school that will be closed early. Learning must continue. We will deal with the criminals trying to blackmail the government,” said Ruto, who spoke at the Nairobi School.
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