Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha has finally responded to calls pushing for the abolishment of boarding schools in the country.
Magoha who was on an inspection tour of the ongoing construction of classrooms across the country on Wednesday, January 12, disagreed with proposals to have boarding schools done away with.
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Speaking at Muturi Girls High School in Kirinyaga Central, Magoha defended the existence of boarding institutions noting that they are among the best managed in the country.
He asked those pushing for the agenda to rethink their priorities explaining that the ministry of education will devise other means of handling the rising cases of indiscipline.
Why would one imagine that we want to dismantle boarding schools, it doesn’t make sense. Mine is to see we have to remain firm. With those few schools where students have defeated their parents at home and they are bringing that rowdy attitude in schools we should be able to deal with them,” Magoha maintained.
He also reiterated the need for the reintroduction of corporal punishment in schools noting that it will also help in taming the cases of unrest.
“Perhaps rather than abolishing boarding schools, we should get approved boarding schools which will deal with these kinds of activities firmly.”
Representatives of the Kenya Primary Schools Headteachers Association (KePSHA) were pushing for the scrapping of boarding schools arguing that it is the solution to cases of unrest.
“KEPSHA proposes that secondary schools become day schools so that parents are involved in raising their children,” they stated in a statement presented by National Secretary Philip Mitei during a delegates’ conference in Mombasa in December 2021.
“We will collaborate with the Kenya National Parents’ Association to promote strong partnership, coordination, and parental engagement to help children’s re-entry to schools and 100 percent transition from primary to secondary,” their statement added
But now, Magoha has made it clear that only approved schools can be introduced but the abolishment of boarding schools will not happen.
On the ongoing construction of schools, the CS said he will commission the first complete classroom in Unguja, Siaya county on Thursday, January 13.
He directed the county commissioners and their deputies to allocate the contracts that have not been taken to the next available contractor so that every progress is at the same pace.
Magoha said the funds are available and the ministry will soon disburse the monies once the contractor completes the construction and fill all necessary documents.
