• Classrooms meant for 40 students now seating 80.
• You can drag a donkey to the river, but you cannot force it to drink
Education, they say, brings equality and opens up a world of opportunities.
Nelson Mandela said, "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
We praise the government for its investment in the Education sector and hope to see more investment this year.
However, the 100 per cent transition policy introduced in 2017, forcing secondary schools to admit all KCPE candidates — irrespective of their scores — is not working.
Why should there be exams in the first place if there is no cut-off mark to join secondary school?
Some will blossom but not everyone is cut out for formal education. Forcing them to spend four years in secondary school is a waste of time. That's four years they could use to develop well-paying technical skills such as electricians, welders and carpenters.
Facilities are also not adequate, with classrooms meant for 40 students now seating double this figure. The ideal teacher-student ratio is 1:40 while the ideal textbook ratio is 1:1, which has not been possible under the 100 per cent transition policy.
They say you can drag a donkey to the river, but you cannot force it to drink.
This policy was not well thought-out and an urgent rethink is required.
Quote of the Day: “The determination to win is the better part of winning.”
Daisaku Ikeda
The Japanese Buddhist philosopher, educator and author was born on January 2, 1928