- “If your child is going to a day school, the most important thing to buy is uniform," Magoha said.
- " If you can afford lunch, fine. If you can't, it doesn’t matter. The government is going to feed the needy to the extent that we can afford,” he said.
Image: GEORGE OWITI
Education CS George Magoha has urged parents not to send their children to boarding secondary schools empty handed.
Magoha said parents should support schools administrations by being responsible in ensuring their children get basic requirements for their stay in school.
This, he said will also help in achieving the government’s directive of 100 per cent transition.
The CS spoke on Tuesday when he commissioned CBC classrooms at Machakos High School.
“I want to plead with parents and teachers in terms of the results we released yesterday. If you believe in God, then you take what God has given you and play your part,” Magoha said.
He said parents should do their best despite the tough economic times.
“If your child is going to a day school, the most important thing to buy is uniform. Then if you can afford lunch, fine. If you can't, it doesn’t matter.
"The government is going to feed the needy to the extent that we can afford.”
The CS said he never had lunch during his school days, but he still excelled and became what he is today.
“Look at me very well, do I look like somebody who didn’t take lunch? So, it can be done, and we passed well,” he said.
Magoha also said headteachers should not send children away because they don’t have uniforms.
"If you find needy children without the ability to buy uniform, you buy them uniform.
“I think some are doing it like the chairman of the Kenya Secondary Heads Association and principal of Machakos School Indimuli Kahi,” he said.
Magoha said parents should try and make sure they don't send children to boarding schools without any money.
“If you don't have money, accompany the child and explain to the principal,” he said.
The CS said his directive to school heads is that every child must be admitted since they have lost a lot of time and the education calendar is yet to be normalised.
“We will normalise when we do exams in December. We still need to brace ourselves until December,” he said.
Magoha said CBC classrooms construction is at 90 per cent countrywide. He said Machakos county was at 85 per cent.
Some counties like Mandera, Garissa, Wajia, Meru and Siaya have achieved 100 per cent delivery of CBC classrooms.
He said the counties completed the classrooms’ construction five weeks ago. Each classroom was constructed at a cost of Sh788,000.
“We have constructed more than 5,000 classrooms and the remaining are nearing completion. Most of them are at roofing and finishing levels.
"I believe that we shall deliver, so that I brief the President that the first 6,487 classrooms are complete and there is no county remaining behind,” Magoha said.
The CS said they also need to seek the President's approval to start constructing the remaining 10,000 classrooms, which need to be done between next month and July.
He said the government is prepared for CBC rollout and has done well from the public sector perspective.
Magoha said private and faith-based secondary schools should construct classrooms, which the Education ministry will inspect, for them to work together.
“We encourage private primary schools in urban areas to establish junior primary schools," he said.
The CS said Grade 6 teachers have also been trained, while those for Grades 7 and 8 are undergoing training.
“There is no excuse for anybody to confuse our children. We are ready as far as being prepared for CBC rollout is concerned,” he said.
(Edited by Bilha Makokha)