The government has been urged to consider providing tents to schools to facilitate a conducive learning environment instead of students learning under trees in an effort to maintain social distancing.
A section of parents from the North Rift region said pupils studying under trees as directed by Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha was not tenable and would adversely affect learning in the long run.
They felt that if the government could facilitate the acquisition of tents to act as temporary classrooms, it would facilitate smooth learning programmes devoid of disruption by changing weather conditions.
A parent, Retired Brigadier Emiliano Tonui, said it would not be tenable for the learners to study under trees since the shades move with the sunlight disrupting lessons.
He added that lessons were also going to be disrupted when the long rains begin as expected in March, adding that no additional classrooms have been constructed in many of the public primary and secondary schools to address the issue of social distancing among the learners due to Covid-19 restriction.
“In fact, majority of the schools still lack basic handwashing facilities despite hosting hundreds of learners who have reported back to school,” said the former military officer.
Another parent Janet Chepkieng also suggested that the government should provide funds for construction of more classrooms saying public institutions were the most hit by congestion.
“We fear a spike in the spread of coronavirus among the day school learners if the government will not take tangible measures in terms of provision of face masks, hand sanitizers and water to the schools,” said Ms. Chepkieng.
The CS, in one of his tours to check on preparedness by schools on Covid-19 preventive measures, advised teachers in schools without sufficient classrooms to explore other options such as outdoor learning depending on the weather.
By Kiptanui Cherono
