The government has been urged to make use of the over 350,000 slots in private secondary schools across the country to ease congestion in public institutions.
Kenya Private Schools Association chairperson Mutheu Kasanga told delegates at the 22nd AGM in Mombasa yesterday that private schools are underpopulated as the government grapples with congestion in public secondary schools.
The congestion is a result of the 100 per cent transition drive initiated by the government this year.
Kasanga said the government cannot ignore private schools if it is fully committed to actualising the 100 per cent transition from primary to secondary schools.
“It is simple mathematics. You cannot expect to move pupils from 30,000 primary schools to only 9,000 secondary schools. We have 350,000 slots available in private schools which our children should be enjoying,” she said.
Her sentiments were echoed by Tigania West MP Kanyuithia Mutunga who urged the Ministry of Education officials to device ways of allocating the slots to KCPE candidates just as the private universities are allowed to take in government-sponsored students.
“We must stop treating private schools like intruders in the system and embrace them as part and parcel of our Kenyan schools. Pupils learning in private schools are all Kenyans who deserve the same support as those in public schools,” Mutunga said.
The MP opposed ongoing plans to establish extra-day streams in schools in response to the influx of secondary pupils, saying proper infrastructure expansion should be put in place to ensure children access quality basic education.
Kasanga blamed TSC for imposing unrealistic policies such as the insistence that all employed teachers, including those teaching technical subjects, be in the TSC register.
He said schools should be free to employ experts who are more qualified and have practical experience in their areas of specialisation.
“How do you expect someone to teach subjects such as Home Science when they have never done catering, or Business Studies when they have never run even a kiosk? We need to give practical lessons to learners and if we can afford to hire experts to do it, where is the problem?” Kasanga asked.
Mutunga dismissed claims that private schools evaded government monitoring and regulation, saying their books of accounts are open for auditing.
The two, however, commended the government for extending the NHIF student medical cover to pupils in private secondary schools, saying the ministry should inculcate a more collaborative partnership with KPSA for the benefit of all pupils in public and private schools.
During the conference, officials of Minet Group, which is KPSA's appointed agent to spearhead the coordination of the government-funded private schools' students’ medical insurance deal with NHIF, explained to participants their role in ensuring the promotion of health and safety concerns for pupils under the cover.
The AGM and conference, which has brought together directors and principals of private schools from all over the country, will end today.
