Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula has urged Education CS Prof. George Magoha to stop playing games with the issue of reopening of primary and secondary schools. Universities and colleges have reopened today, with final year students the first to report back, in the first phase of the gradual reopening of learning institutions.
However, the date for reopening of primary and secondary schools remains unknown, with CS Magoha telling MPs last week that schools should be reopened, “The CS has already said we need to open and we don’t need to open. I want to tell him that education is the foundation for our society and how we bring up our children determines the future of this country,” said Wetangula, “We don’t want you to play poker games with schools.”
He said sufficient funds should be pumped to schools to improve infrastructure ahead of any reopening, adding that any unused foreign travel funds collected in the past six months from Parliament, government, parastatals should cater for the same. He added that schools should reopen in January because full year fees will be asked if they report back now, “The moment they reopen they’ll want fees for the whole year and kids haven’t learnt, and there is no money.” The Senator stated that if schools are to reopen sooner rather that later, then parents aren’t supposed to pay any money.