The government plan to convert national boarding schools to
also admit day scholars is a good idea (see P10). Schools like the Starehe Boys’
Centre, Kenya High and Alliance High will participate.
The proposal, announced by Education CS Fred Matiang’i at
the ongoing Kenya Secondary School Heads’ Association 42nd Annual Conference at
Wild Waters, Mombasa, has some problems, but they are manageable and the
benefits definitely outweigh the risks and drawbacks.
National schools will benefit the local communities more and
locals will comprise 50 per cent of the school community.
Adding day scholars to boarders will bring in a number of
negative factors, including narcotics and mobile phone use. But discipline is an
institutional culture issue and some of the best-behaved schools have been
non-boarding since inception.
Some national schools have been accused of charging exorbitant fees. Perhaps one of the greatest benefit will be the opportunity this will give poor students to attend these schools, given they will not have to pay the additional boarding fee.
