Public schools might face congestion in January 2021 once all students reopen due to the large number of parents who are transferring their children from private schools.
Most parents have lost their source of livelihoods following the adverse economic effects brought about by the pandemic that has lasted for nearly one year.
"I was among employees that were laid off from my company in June this year, and I have been surviving on manual jobs. I will have to transfer my children to a public school because it is cheaper," a parent told Kenyans.co.ke.
Other private schools were also shut down and owners opted to set up other businesses like chicken rearing, providing office space and trade centres, hence, parents have to look for other learning institutions for their children.
"The school management has since communicated that the school will not be reopening and that we need to transfer our children. On the group Whatsapp, parents keep consulting each other on which schools to take their children," Rebecca Nyokabi stated.
On the other hand, some of the parents relocated to rural areas afterlife in the city became unbearable. Therefore, they will be forced to look for other schools in the villages.
Kenya Primary School Heads Association Chairman, Nicholas Gathemia, acknowledged that public schools had increasingly gotten more requests for admission.
He reiterated that parents had been disoriented by job loses and slow businesses.
"We may not admit before we know where there is a vacancy, we will only establish the vacancies once the children report back to school on January 4," he stated.
President Uhuru Kenyatta warned parents against failing to comply with the January school reopening directive and tasked the Ministry of Interior to enforce the directive during the Jamhuri celebrations.
“To guarantee that no child is left behind, I hereby direct and order as follows; That the Ministry of Interior shall, through all chiefs, account for all children within their jurisdictions," the president stated.
