KUPPET Wants Boarding Schools Abolished, Lauds Machogu Directive On Day Wings
A teachers’ union supports the directive for additional day schools and advocates for the abolishment of boarding wings in sub-county schools.
The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) applauds Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu’s proposal to introduce day wings in boarding schools.
Concurrently, Kuppet proposes that the government phase out boarding sections in sub-county schools so that they can enroll a majority of students from the surrounding locality.
If the proposal by Kuppet is approved, only extra-county and national schools will keep boarding sections.
Sub-county secondary schools are the lowest level of secondary schools that accept students from the immediate area (hosting district). This category includes day schools and former provincial schools with a day wing.
National, extra-county, and county schools make up the top tier of schools. There are 112 national schools, 776 extra-county schools, 1,301 county schools, and 6,297 sub-county schools.
Kuppet Executive Secretary Sabala Inyeni stated that the union’s and Mr. Machogu’s recommendations are consistent with the new Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), which supports parental involvement in child rearing.
Mr. Machogu stated on Monday, when he launched the placement of 2022 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) applicants into Form One, that boarding schools should include day wings to improve access and reduce the cost of education.
Mr. Machogu stated that approximately 70% of students attend day schools, which is a clear indicator that greater effort should be devoted to expanding day schools.
“I encourage boarding schools to introduce day wings to enhance access and cut down costs of education. This is also in line with CBC for parental engagement in the delivery of curriculum,” Mr Machogu said on Monday.
72 cent of our schools are day schools, whereas only 28 percent are boarding schools, according to the minister.
He was keen to note, however, that the government is not eliminating boarding schools. Mr. Machogu stated that the 100% transition policy necessitates the expansion and improvement of day school facilities in order to accommodate more students.
And, in a statement made yesterday, Mr. Inyeni stated that Kuppet is in accord with the proposal of the CS, saying that the introduction of day wings in boarding schools is absolutely appropriate.
“The new curriculum is structured in such a way that a parent has a bigger role to play in the development of a child. Parental involvement has been left to the teachers,” said Mr Inyeni.
He said the implementation of day wings will encourage parents to keep in touch with their child. Some parents may not attend schools on visitation days.
“Some just send pocket money yet the child wants to see and speak to the parent. Children who miss this stage of parental involvement develop unbecoming behaviour leading to indiscipline and cases such as the burning of dormitories,” he added.
The Kuppet official stated that the teaching profession is currently being localized as a result of the decision to reverse the delocalization policy.
Mr. Inyeni stated that it would also be appropriate to localize schools by introducing day wings.
“Parents leave children to the teachers. We would wish that boarding schools be phased out starting with primary schools then the sub-county schools, save for extra-county and national schools,” said Mr Inyeni.
He stated that day wings will increase political support for infrastructure development and the distribution of scholarships, as students from the same region will take advantage of opportunities at institutions in their own communities.
Mr. Machogu stated on Monday that nomadic pastoralists are encouraged to enroll their children in boarding schools due to their nomadic lifestyle.
KUPPET Wants Boarding Schools Abolished, Lauds Machogu Directive On Day Wings