By Erick Nyayiera
Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) in a statement said that it will not defend any teacher arrested for organizing private tuition for students against the government’s directives aimed at slowing down the spread of the corona virus.
KNUT County Executive Secretary Siaya Branch Mr. Gilbert Ndolo told teachers and parents who have organized for private tuitions in their homes when schools were closed by the government to curb the spread of the virus that they will be on their own and will have to face the consequences for defying government’s directives.
“We have noticed that some parents in the county have organized private tuition for their children at home. Some teachers have gone as far as gathering students from different homes for tuition in private buildings. This is unacceptable and a sign of greed and avarice as the country struggles with the spread of corona virus.” Ndolo told the teachers.
He said teachers should be at the forefront in helping the government in fighting the spread of the virus and not be the ones disobeying directives by the government since students will emulate them.
The county executive secretary on the other hand urged both County and National governments to incorporate teachers in hygiene sensitization campaigns to help curb the virus which has threatened to bring the global economy to its knees.
Separately, teachers in Siaya County have concurred with their union leadership stand that schools should remain shut to the time when the graph will be flat.
He calls for continued closure citing that it will not be possible to implement the government directive on social distancing due high enrolment that was occasioned by the 100% transition in many schools across the country.
The KNUT official observed that most schools do not have adequate facilities such as spacious classrooms and boarding facilities, stating that this will put the learners’ lives at risk of contracting the novel corona virus.
He stated furthermore that if schools are opened, it will mean that students shall be allowed to travel from wherever they are currently to their respective schools and nobody knows who among them is infected or not.
“Therefore, government must put in place proper measures that will help in addressing such issues before rushing to re-opening,” Mr. Ndolo said.
Similar sentiments were echoed by KNUT Siaya Branch Executive Secretary Alex Dunga who thanked the government for postponing National exams to 2021.
