Following the release of Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) results, parents and private schools representatives are now urging the Ministry of Education to consider hastening the Form one selection process.
This is due to the fact that the country is busy preparing for the anticipated General elections set to take place a couple of weeks from now.
Concerns have been raised citing that should the process be delayed, all those joining Form One would fall behind the scheduled academic calendar.
On top of that, the Kenya National Parents and Teachers Association (KNPTA) together with the Kenya National Parents Association (KNPA) have urged the Government to shoulder the additional costs that would arise if the students report late to school.
While addressing the press, KNPA national chairman Musau Ndunda said parents will not pay full first term fees if at all learning will not take place for a considerable period of time.
“We are asking the Minister of Education Hon. Mutula Kilonzo to shield parents from schools that will ask for full first-term fees. How do you, for instance, pay KES 30 000 when your child will be in school for less than a month? This will be robbery to Kenyan parents,” said Ndunda.
Should the anticipated general elections lead to a run-off, it probably means that those joining form one would spend less than a month in school.
“We want the Education Minister to come and clearly explain the fee structures of those joining Form one. It is clear that these children will not be in school long enough. The more they delay the less fees parents should pay,” he added
KNPTA Chairman Nathan Barasa also urged the government to be considerate enough to parents across the country who will also be preparing for second term.
“It is just logic. We can’t pay full Form one fees if children would only spend a few weeks in school. Where will the rest of the money go?” he questioned.
Both officials never failed to cite the two days that were lost as a result of party nominations and cited the one week period set aside for nationwide general elections.
It clearly emerges that this year’s academic calendar will be greatly disrupted over the political activities set to take place and will worsen should the country head to a run-off depending on the elections outcome.
Education Minister Mutula Kilonzo issued a statement earlier this month to newsrooms stating that schools across the country would be expected to close on February 28th ahead of the March 4th general elections.
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