Scholar cum political analyst Professor Peter Kagwanja has urged the government through the Ministry of Education to invest in education as a solution by ensuring full funding of education and infrastructure maintenance in all schools.
Speaking during Murang’a south sub county schools prize giving day at Nginda Girls High school, Maragua, the scholar termed education as a solution to most of the challenges that the country is facing.
“Our education must produce a person of value, a person of character because we are living in very revolutionary times and a revolution is not like change that can be maintained” he says adding that,
“Education is a means, a journey that makes one develop critical thinking and gives them freedom that is why we have witnessed the revolutionary Gen Z that is demanding to be listened to”
He observed that the current generation is the brightest and the finest amongst us, because they belong to two worlds and it is imperative that they be listened to as they are talking about our character, our values and our democracy as a nation.
Consequently, the scholar notes that it is paramount for the ministry to invest in Education as a solution to the levels of unemployment in the country as education is a system that produces men and women of noble character and values.
“We have lost character and corruption has become embodied in us and it raises serious questions about what our forefathers fought for us and this is another reason why we need to seriously scrutinize our education system and the values therein” he said.
Kagwanja further calls on the Ministry of education to harness and improve the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC)
“CBC emphasizes on skills that are employable including in the digital world where there are numerous employment opportunities for the young people without having to travel out of the country” he avvers
He also urged legislators to oversee the abolishment of bursaries and re-introduction of scholarships.
“We have enough resources to support free education up to the university level if well managed as our country enjoys a lot of peace even geographically and we make a lot of money from the neighboring countries,
It is unfortunate that you will find a child that needs Sh. 45,000 in school fees but is given sh. 5000 through the bursaries after three days of queuing at the legislator’s office, this is not right” he noted
He challenged the county governments to consider creating a scholarship fund and consolidate all the monies being distributed through bursaries.
“Education is the natural equalizer, between the poor and the rich, let those from underprivileged backgrounds enjoy full scholarships as funding to give them an equal ground with those from privileged backgrounds” he said
Kagwanja also underscored the need to maintain infrastructure in schools.
“Before we even construct new buildings let us prioritize keeping the classes clean, well painted and the lawns well-manicured so as to offer a conducive learning environment for the learners”
By Florence Kinyua
