EDUCATION NEWS: WHY CS MAGOHA’S MOVE TO REOPEN SCHOOLS ON JUNE 4, 2020 IS MUCH WELCOME
Education CS Magoha’s announcement on Sunday that all schools in Kenya will re-open on June 4, 2020 was the best news I have ever received since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in Kenya.
Much as some parents may feel that it is too soon, especially given that some boarding schools are already being used as covid-19 isolation centers, I do welcome the move with open arms for reasons that I shall enlist in this article.
Teen pregnancy
To start with, many girls especially those in secondary schools are at a greater risk of becoming pregnant. Even though the Government wants to hold on to the illusion that students are busy learning through online KICD platforms, the ugly truth is that 50 percent of the girls are busy “establishing new links” now that they have got access to parents’ phones.
This is what makes me big up CS Magoha’s move since the social distancing directive for teens with sizzling hot blood cannot simply work.
Syllabus coverage
The greatest headache that teachers and learners have right now is how to cover the syllabus in time. When CS Magoha says that KCPE 2020 and KCSE 2020 exams will be conducted as scheduled, I wonder whom he speaks for.
Maybe, he speaks for the “civilized” schools with remedial programs dotting their timetables which most probably had their syllabus covered by February 2020.
So what happens for the “bush” schools? I do speak on their behalf since I feel that their candidates will be devastated.
If they break burettes and beakers during simple chemistry practical exams despite the adequate preparation, what will happen to them if they failed to resume school early?
Domestic violence
A few weeks ago, the Ministry of Health acknowledged the fact that domestic violence cases had tripled since the dusk to dawn curfew and cessation of movement in some counties were enforced.
With the upsurge of domestic violence cases, the “boy child” is not safe. Many boys are likely to form lasting impressions about domestic violence that may change their general outlook of marriage forever.
Laxity
Besides, some parents are too busy with their children. There is so much laxity to the extent that learners, especially those that are either average or below average are likely to format all the knowledge and skills they may have acquired.
There is a huge gap left by the absence of teachers. Right now, there is no one to check learners’ work, assess them, or rebuke them when they do not meet the expectations set.
It is no wonder some say that teaching should not be classified as a white-collar job.
