Education stakeholders on Saturday urged the Ministry of Education to shelve its plans to phase out public boarding schools.
The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Secretary General Akello Misori and Karachuonyo MP Adipo Okuome accused the ministry of coming up with policies which were likely to impact negatively on students.
The duo said boarding schools should not be interfered with as the ministry seeks solutions to rising cases of student unrest.
“The education policy makers and experts should not err by abolishing the boarding facility because they will interfere with quality education and performance in schools,” Misori said.
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The Kuppet boss said boarding schools provide conducive environments for learners, arguing that that's why most boarding schools perform better than day schools in national exams.
He said arson attacks in schools have mostly targeted dormitories but scrapping boarding schools would make the students suffer even more.
Until now, close to 50 schools have experienced arson cases. Several schools have been closed and dozens of students charged in court.
Nonetheless, Misori said scrapping boarding schools is not an option.
“Boarding schools accommodate many students that cannot be accommodated in villages where Day schools are situated,” he said.
Misori and Okuome were speaking on the sidelines of the Karachuonyo constituency education stakeholders’ meeting at Alaw Rachunyo social hall.
Okuome claimed that abolishing boarding facilities in schools is a regulation which will not add any value in the education ministry and to learners.
He said the proposal for learners to have the same uniform is another policy change that would add no value to education.
“Some of these policies do not add any value in education. In fact these are the policies which should be abolished,” Okuome said.
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He told the Ministry policy makers to tell Kenyans gains students will get before introducing new policies.
The leaders condemned the torching of dormitories in schools.
Nyanza region is one fof the regions that have bone the brunt of school fires in recent days.
Oriwo Boy’s, Gendia Boy’s, Simbi Mixed and Kandiege Mixed are some of the secondary schools in Karachuonyo constituency that have experienced arson cases in the past one week.
Recently, policy makers and experts in the Ministry of Education proposed that the boarding schools be abolished as a measure of curbing arson attacks in schools and reducing cost of education to parents.
The leaders told parents to sensitize their children on danger of arson to prevent fire in schools.
The Education ministry, however, clarified later that it has no intentions to abolish boarding schools.
PS Belio Kipsang said the ministry plans to start day sections in boarding schools to increase the number of students accessing secondary education.
He said 16 schools across the country are piloting the concept and they are doing very well.
Kipsang said the system worked in public universities when parallel courses were introduced, which has enabled the enrollment of more than 500,000 university students.
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