Teacher’s Union Protests Abrupt Closure of Schools
KUPPET has raised alarm over sudden closure of schools in Kenya by Education Cabinet Secretary stating that they were not consulted.
The Secretary General Misori, in a statement released this evening, stated that the School Calendar is not CS’s property and termed the closure of schools as move which is casual and have left parents in dilemma.
As a union we are extremely concerned by the casual manner in which the CS announced the closure of schools for the elections period. The school calendar can not be shuffled by the Cabinet Secretary for Education as if it was his property. The calendar is a pertinent planning tool for all stakeholders in education right from Learners, schools and parents, Misori said in a statement.
Misori added that Magoha knew the exact date for the elections and the calendar for term two should have been planned carefully from the start rather than shuffling it suddenly.
The sudden closure will seriously disrupt the delivery of the curriculum, since most schools had scheduled internal examinations ahead of the original closure date which was August 6, 2022, and parents especially those with children in boarding schools had organised logistics for their travel based on the original calendar.
Misori has asked that CS must immediately consult stakeholders on when schools should re-open to avoid similar situations from happening adding that in KUPPET’s view, Monday August 15, 2022 seems more plausible for re-opening. Reopening schools on 10th of August is impractical.
The dates are tentative and are subject to change in the event of a repeat of presidential elections which may also affect the national examinations scheduled for end of this year.
