Limuru MP Peter Mwathi has asked the government to hire more teachers so that they can divide classes into smaller groups for social distancing.
Mwathi said the government must handle the reopening of schools with a lot of care to ensure all learners are safe. He said parents are worried about how learning will take place given the conditions of most schools in relation to the health guidelines meant to protect children against contracting the coronavirus.
Mwathi appealed to Education CS George Magoha to consider hiring more teachers even if it will be on renewable contracts so only 15 learners are handled in a class.
He also urged the government to release development funds to schools so they can quickly build more classrooms and refurbish existing ones in readiness for the resumption of learning.
"The issue of how the Covid-19 was spreading had scared so many people and parents are still confused but they will have to accept the government decision," he said.
"It doesn't matter if some will have to take lessons under a tree. This is a situation we had never seen in our country. We must take care, we are also parents."
Solomon Ndung'u, a parent at Murengeti Primary School, suggested that learning be conducted for only two hours then learners are released to go home. He said the government should assist schools to retain teachers hired by boards of management.
"All we want is to see learners handled in small numbers. We want them to be safe because if anything happens, we will all be affected. We would rather they handle lessons in open fields for a few minutes or two hours," Ndung'u said.
