Weeks before the schools resume for a new academic calendar, parents have urged the government to postpone the reopening date to ensure the establishment of adequate infrastructure in line with the Competency Based Curriculum, (CBC).
According to the National Parents Association (NPA) chairperson Silas Obuhatsa, the move will also accommodate students transitioning to Junior Secondary Schools (JSS).
He added that the construction of the classrooms and laboratories would be possible within one or two months. The reopening date is currently set for Monday, January 23.
“The government has the right to postpone schools reopening for one or two months to have these structures in place before learning can resume," he noted.
Obuhatsa pointed out that the move would be funded by the Ksh44 billion National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF), which is being released in batches by the National Treasury.
He, however, condemned the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) for seeking to be enjoined in a petition challenging the legality of the NG-CDF.
"We cannot afford to lose the gains at a time when the nation is going through economic hardships. Parents deserve all government support because they are the ones who put this administration in place.
"They woke up very early to vote while some LSK members were enjoying their sleep in warm blankets,” he noted.
President William Ruto's CBC task force, in December 2022, recommended that Junior Secondary Schools be domiciled in the existing primary schools.
While addressing his inaugural joint interview at State House, Ruto affirmed that plans were underway to ensure a seamless transition.
"86 percent of 20,000 people who presented views to the CBC task force suggested that JSS be near the parents as the children are still young and would reduce cost.
"We will hire 30,000 teachers to ensure a smooth transition and plan to hire 30,000 more next year," the president stated.
