Makueni and Machakos counties leaders have urged the Education ministry to bar school principals from forcing students to buy uniforms at the school to join Form 1.
Led by Machakos county chief of staff Mwengi Mutuse, the leaders said the trend is deterring 100 per cent transition to secondary school. Mutuse is Governor Alfred Mutua’s aide.
Mutuse said on Saturday parents should be allowed to purchase uniforms for their sons and daughters from the outlets they can afford. Uniforms from the schools are more expensive and someone is benefitting from the difference, parents noted.
Mutuse said it was unfair to deny a child entry because a parent has not purchased the identical uniform from the school itself. All school fees are paid for Day Secondary students. A uniform should not hinder education, parents sad.
“Education is a basic right under the Bill of Rights in our Constitution, but the trend of principals denying students admission because they have not bought their uniforms from the school itself is strange, Mutuse said.
He spoke during the commissioning of classrooms he funded at Malivini Early Childhood Education Centre in Kibwezi West constituency.
Mua MCA from Machakos county Francis Ngunga, who was among the MCAS joining Mutuse, said proper planning was necessary before enrolling students to avert a crisis.
Ngunga said some schools do not have proper structures and manpower to handle the increasing numbers of students, which could hold back 100 per cent transition.
“The Ministry of Education should be consulting te Teachers Service Commission and the school management in time so the target schools are well equipped with teachers, subordinate staff and proper structures to handle the students," Ngunga said.
Mutuse and Ngunga said the Competency-Based system is good because it helps learners identify their abilities at the right time.
However, they said the system requires restructuring to accommodate the need for skills training for those unable to continue with secondary school learning.
They praised the national government for awarding scholarships to the needy students but said the funds should be increased.
“It is clear not all learners are capable of pursuing secondary education and not all qualify for bursaries and scholarships, so there's need to consider increasing funds to support more students," Mutuse said.
(Edited by V. Graham)
