• Stakeholders have called for intervention to avert spillover.
• Kenya Parents Association warns that more schools could suffer unrest in February.
Image: ROBERT OMOLLO
The recent spark of school unrest has emerged as a worrying trend that could hurt preparations for KCPE and KCSE exams.
With fewer than 60 days to the start of the national examinations, preparations have entered the homestretch. Stakeholders have, therefore, called for intervention to arrest the situation.
In the past week alone, dormitories in at least six schools have gone up in flames, leading to the destruction of property.
The schools include Kisii High, Bukembe Boys' High in Bungoma, Kirimari and Kiambere secondary schools in Embu county, Kisumu School and Itigo Girls in Nandi.
This is in addition to attacks on teachers by students witnessed in the early weeks of school reopening.
KCPE exams commence on Monday, March 22 and end on Wednesday, March 24. On the other hand, KCSE candidates will undergo their rehearsals on March 25 before sitting their exams from March 26 to April 21.
Nicholas Maiyo, the Kenya Parents Association chairman, warned on Wednesday that more schools could witness unrest in February.
Maiyo said teachers were inadequately prepared for the reopening, leading to a disconnect with learners who had been out of school for 10 months since the beginning of the closure due to Covid-19.
"A child coming back to class after 10 months is not the same child a teacher was dealing with in March last year... Some of them (students) engage in words exchange with their parents and when you impose rules and orders on them in school, the result is confrontation and even riots," Maiyo said.
Maiyo further blamed the problem on poor parenting during the shutdown and exposure to criminal activities or violent content. He was also of the view that some learners are stressed out and are suffering from exam fever.
He called for a new approach to handling learners and swift training by the Teachers Service Commission. He also encouraged parents to take time to talk to their children, more so those in day schools.
Education CS George Magoha earlier this month blamed parents for the increased student attacks on teachers. Magoha urged law enforcement agencies to take stern action against identified cases and appealed to teachers to take care of themselves.
"The problem is that parents are not giving their children tough love... because for nine months, a child has been at home and you've been treating him like an egg and you expect the principal to instil in him discipline; what do you think will happen?" Magoha said.
Some 1,191,411 candidates are registered to sit KCPE exam. The test will be administered in 28,451 centres.
Another 752,933 candidates will sit KCSE exam in 10,437 centres, an increase compared to 10,287 centres in 2019.
The Kenya National Examination Council has been readying itself for the exams but is grappling how to go round adverse weather conditions as the tests will be conducted during the long rains season.
The council also cited insecurity and flooding of major lakes and rivers in various parts of the country.