Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), Bungoma Branch, has backed Basic Education Principal Secretary (PS), Belio Kipsang’s, proposal to abolish the boarding system in primary schools.
The PS said on Tuesday that the government is contemplating doing away with the boarding system from Grade 1 to Grade 9.
According to the PS, the plan to abolish boarding schools in primary school are at advanced stage and will be effected early 2023.
He clarified that the decision is meant to enable children to grow under the proper care of their parents.
The move comes days after the government announced that junior secondary schools, would be domiciled in the primary section.
Talking to the press, Wednesday, in his office, Bungoma County KUPPET Chairman, David Barasa, agreed that boarding schools are very expensive and should be done away with.
He called on all parents to embrace the proposal and take their learners to the nearest schools to access education.
“We us the KUPPET unionists, are very glad and welcome PS Kipsang’s proposal of ensuring that the day school wing is implemented in all schools in Kenya. This is a brilliant idea that ought to be embraced by all and sundry,” he said.
The Unionist noted that boarding schools have become untenable citing recent incidents where many schools have been torched by students thus affecting school calendar.
He said that many schools have poor sanitation in the boarding section which caused mental torture to learners.
“In Bungoma and many other parts of the country, a good number of schools have been closed indefinitely because of student riots and arbitrary torching of dormitories,” he said.
He added that the remedy is to entirely convert boarding schools to day schools.
“This program is very cost effective because every learner would be expected to come from their homes, learn and go back home,” the unionist added.
He argues that the abolition of boarding schools will solve cases of overcrowding, molesting, strikes and riots, drug addiction among other challenges.
“Let the work of a teacher be impacting knowledge and guiding learners not becoming parents at school when some parents have failed to shape the character of their children back home,” he said.
However, Barasa pointed out that he has studied education curriculums around the world and it is only in Kenya where the system is not student centered, arguing that CBC will address such and give every student his/ her line of study.
On claims by a section of stakeholders that boarding schools should stay as they promote national cohesion and exposure, Barasa argues that students can interact with other learners at college level.
