Parents charged with homeschooling get reprieve

It was not clear how many children he has.

On Monday justice Korir further gave the parties in the case 90 days to explore an alternative resolution of the dispute. 

The parties are expected to engage the Attorney General, the Director of Public Prosecutions and Parliament.

They will be back in court on May 20 with a progress report.

Shikwekwe together with another parent, Onesmus Orinda, want homeschooling recognised and legalised. They argue that the law requiring enrolment of a child in an institution of learning limits the scope of education.

Most importantly, the two say, that the argument that a child must be enrolled in school limits the rights of parents to decide the manner in which their children will be educated and where.

 “The non-recognition of homeschooling as a form of education which guarantees a child’s right to education contravenes the rights of children who may opt for this system of education as well as the right of the parent to determine a course that would take care of the child’s interest,” they argue in court papers.

A child, the two say, needs an environment that promotes freedom and his and her full development.

In some cases, children hate classrooms, which more or less become a detention facility for them, the parents said.

If a child is allowed a free environment which homeschooling provides, they said, it will have a positive impact on the academic performance of the child and also allow them to be independent and explore their interests and talents.

They said there is no proof that providing a home education compromises or diminishes a child’s right to education and its benefits.

The case will come up for mention on May 20.

(Edited by V. Graham)