Parents Appeal For Day Secondary School Relief Food
Parents of day secondary schools in Isiolo County have asked national and county administrations to provide them with relief food to alleviate the strain caused by the ongoing drought.
According to Mr. Ismael Galma, leader of the parents’ association in Isiolo County, 30 percent of students from day secondary schools have been sent away for fee arrears, which the kids pay to cater meals.
Mr. Galma stated that school enrolment in primary and secondary schools was high, but it has dropped by 30% since most pupils were sent home to collect lunch payments at school.
He stated that the government instructed all principals not to send kids home, but things are different in Isiolo, where even candidates for examinations next month are currently at home.
Mr. Galma encouraged the County Director of Education, Mr. James Nyaga, to issue a stern warning to principals, stating that education standards were likely to suffer due to absenteeism.
He also urged Isiolo Governor Abdi Ibrahim Guyo to resolve education concerns and disburse bursaries on schedule, noting that the county government had not paid bursary funds for the previous four years.
Apart from the current drought, he noted, insecurity is a significant factor in dropouts and low performance in Merti and Garbatula sub-counties, which should be a primary focus for the county.
Mr. Galma said that the number of street children has grown and that many youngsters who were previously fed at school are now begging on the streets, posing a threat to future generations.
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When contacted by KNA, CDE Mr. Nyaga stated that he was unaware of any school where students were returned home for costs and urged all schools to follow the Ministry’s directive to retain kids in school and work out proper payment plans for boarding fees.
Parents Appeal For Day Secondary School Relief Food