The CS for Education Prof. George Magoha, earlier this week announced the phased reopening of primary and Secondary schools. Form Four, Class Eight and Grade Four are expected to resume learning on Monday, October 12 after almost seven-month break due to Corona Virus pandemic.
However, elders and the residents from Nakuru County; Kuresoi North Constituency said that hundreds of boys in Class Eight, who underwent the feast of circumcision, are unlikely to resume classes to prepare for the Kenya Certificate Primary Education (KCPE) examination planned on March 22-24 next year from the new school calendar.
“The new school calendar, as announced by Prof Magoha, has conflicted with the rites of passage season. Most of our boys have undergone circumcision and they will remain in isolation for the next one month or two,” stated Mr Fred Lang’at.
The elder said the Ministry of Education should have consulted widely to avoid such conflicts.
“We all agree that coronavirus has disrupted the learning process, but that should not be an excuse by the Ministry of Education to disregard parents, teachers and pupils in the public participation process which is their constitutional right,” said Mr Lang’at.
The elders further stated that many school in the region have not met the COVID-19 safety measures and fear that teachers and learners are likely to get exposed to infection when schools reopen.
“Some of our schools lack space, personnel and clean water and the ministry is yet to provide solutions,” said Mr Stanley Maritim.
Mr Daniel Kimng’etich, a village elder said that many parents lack source of income. They lost their jobs from the wake of Covid-19 outbreak. Parents don’t have money to buy masks, sanitizers and school uniforms for their children.