The Covid-19 pandemic destabilized the whole world, showing once hidden cracks and tears in sectors covering economy, education, social living, manufacturing and industry, sports and many others. We had lived so comfortably and so ignorant of any external and alien intrusion into our social fabric, so much that when the globe turned upside down in the form of the Coronavirus pandemic, humanity went with it. In Kenya, leaders were moving on the comfort zone, the health sector and health facilities were in disarray, at least under the radar, the education sector, well, let’s say it was an archaic routine no up to par with valuable technology, improving local manufacturing and the ‘Buy Kenya Build Kenya’ slogan was almost a myth in reality, but the pandemic unearthed all these. We can say we also sunk and went under as the virus plunged us albeit violently.
The education sector, the darling of leaders aspiring to seat their egos on the Presidential comforts and lead the country. It’s used as a campaign tool year in year out-we can’t forget the laptop projects pledged by the Jubilee government-but year in year out, its wrinkled star never changes. All it took was a pandemic to expose the levels of technological hogwash and naivety in our schools as students both in Primary and Secondary Schools struggled to come to terms with online learning and the government fumbled to enhance connectivity and access to learning material and syllabus content. Learning at home sounded convenient, somewhat avant garde to some and modernistic to others, but its challenges are now well documented, and the earlier we forget them the better. However, we are back at a key place, where schools, tertiary institutions and universities are about to be reopened for in-learning, and this is an opportunity for the government, parents, and students to all chip in and ensure we emerge stronger than before.
It will be easier for parents and students to play their part though, be it preparations for classes, keeping the Covid-19 infection prevention protocols, among others, but, our leaders have to be exemplary stewards of resources set aside to improve infrastructure or facilitate learning once schools reopen. We call on leaders countrywide to lead from the front and ensure that sufficient resources are pumped I schools and academic centres to help create conducive and healthy environment for the students. The leaders of the Counties of the former Western Province-Kakamega, Bungoma, Busia, Vihiga-and Trans Nzoia, Counties Executives and MPs, shouldn’t play Russian roulette by misusing funds meant for schools to ensure they measure to the required standards set by the Ministries of Health and Education.
President Uhuru Kenyatta, speaking during the Covid-19 conference at the KICC in Nairobi, said the question shouldn’t be about when schools will reopen, but how. He emphasized that it’s a matter of safety. The schools need masks for students, hand washing points, isolation rooms for suspected Coronavirus cases and counselling, sufficient classrooms to enable social distancing, and we are confident the government will avail resources to meet these needs. It never has, never is and never will be a straight Treasury-to-a-certain-school kind of path when it comes to funds, but leaders entrusted with the mandate to oversee public resources are somewhere in the middle to coordinate, organize and ensure its well utilized. For the reopening of schools and resumption of the academic year to be a success, it’s our hope that our elected leaders will lead from the front and endeavour to ensure infrastructure in the learning units is boosted with prudent use of resources. Moreover, accountability and openness from our leaders on how preparations are being conducted and resources used will go a long way towards proving that we all want our education sector back up and running.