Residents of Nyabitumwa Sublocation in Nyamira County have appealed to President Ruto to consider paying Nyumba Kumi elders in order to motivate them to do more efficient work of mobilizing Grade 10 students to join senior schools.
The residents who spoke during an open baraza at Maiga Primary School said that the elders are doing great job, assisting chiefs in moping-up of students not yet in schools, adding that a stipend will motivate them.
However the residents also expressed frustration on President Ruto’s decree to heads of institutions to admit the affected learners in their schools even without proper uniforms, citing many short comings in the order.
They argued that some families especially the widowed ones could not afford even a single good meal per day and wondered how a child with an empty stomach from such family will be coerced to go to school by demoralised village elder.
“Let the president provide a clear workable of saving this children instead of ordering chiefs to work on them forcefully or if the Competency Based system has failed let him scrap it a revert to the old one.”Said Nathan Manase.
ALSO READ:
Area Assistant Chief Edwin Nachani who convened the meeting to sensitize parents on the Government’s policies to find a workable solution in placement of the teething Grade 10 students in the country, had a rough time when the parents forced him to take time to listen to their predicaments before lecturing them on taking their children to school saying that they were tired of hearing hurried decisions made by the government and ended up confusing and burdening them in supporting education programmes in the country.
The parents expressed lack of money in most of the families during this country’s economic challenges that has made most of the Grade 10 pupils to join brick makers in the area who pay them very little money at the end of the day to enable them buy a two kilo- grams tin of maize, locally refered to as ‘gorogoro’ for food.
The parents asked the president to avoid imposing decrees on parents without involving Principal and headteachers who are his representative on the ground.
They said that the Competency Based Curriculum is good because it is personal career choice oriented but blamed hurried speed in which it was being implemented.
However the parents agreed to work as a team with their chief for the common good of the child.
They promised to launch a ten days campaign in conjunction with the Assistant Chief to enrol any wayward Grade 10 learner in Junior Secondary School.
They further appealed to Principal of Schools to adhere to the President’s call and avoid frustrating needy parents who take their children to their schools.
By Enock Okong’o
You can also follow our social media pages on Twitter: Education News KE and Facebook: Education News Newspaper for timely updates.
>>> Click here to stay up-to-date with trending regional stories
>>> Click here to read more informed opinions on the country’s education landscape
