Saboti MP David Lazaro has opposed the Education CS’s directive of banning motivational speakers, visiting days and prayer days in secondary schools especially during third term as a way to curb cheating in national exams.
The MP was speaking at a funds drive at Kitale polytechnic where he said that the education CS had erred in putting such a directive urging that these activities encourage students and give them some spiritual nourishment.
The Education CS had banned visits by parents in secondary schools during third term and directed that school heads be responsible in supervision of examinations during the rest of exam period a directive that has attracted criticisms from several quarters including stake holders in education.
Matiang’i said that he took the initiative because schools use the opportunity and collude with parents who are used as avenues to steal exams that cost several students as most end up not getting their results.
Lazaro castigated the directive for banning visits by parents at schools saying the grounds into which the Education CS has argued his case does not hold water and that he implemented the directive alone without consulting stake holders in Education.
The MP said if implemented the directive will only help reduce the morale of candidates in several schools across the country who have been depending on their parental advice and encouragements in tackling the examinations.
He divulged that banning school visits during third term is only aimed at sidelining a student who is in boarding school because the day scholars normally stay with their parents adding that the CS has not helped anything as per his directive.
He advised the CS to look for other meaningful ways of guarding against examination stealing by employing correct measures that is all inclusive of all education stake holders instead of making some irrelevant pronouncements that can be detrimental.
He said parents are the most important people when it comes to offering guidance and psychological, advice to the students especially during examination period and it would be wise if the CS rescinds on the directive he made.
