The Chief Administrative Secretary in the Ministry of Education Dr Sarah Ruto has called for a collective effort in counselling children as a way of curbing unrest in schools.
Dr Ruto said parents should take a front-line role in inculcating good morals in their children.
She said that a collaborative work among the parents, teachers and Boards of Management in engaging children is the best approach in ending unrest in schools.
Speaking today after touring schools in the island of Lake Victoria in Homa-Bay County, Dr Ruto urged all the education stakeholders to meet regularly and come up with measures to prevent unrest and destruction of properties in schools.
“We’ll realize improvement in education sector only if we protect the already built infrastructures. Let’s strive to formulate measures that provide solutions to the local problems,” she said.
The CAS who was accompanied by Education Principal Secretary, Julius Jwan, challenged school heads to focus on improving school enrollment by providing quality education.
“Quality education will attract learners to join schools and prevent their exodus,” she added.
Jwan warned that the students who would be found culpable of torching school buildings would be arrested and charged in court.
The PS told parents that they would bear liabilities for the destruction caused by their children in schools.
“The Government will not finance reconstruction of any building burnt by students in schools. Parents of that particular school will be responsible,” Jwan said.
He said that such students would be treated as criminals noting that they would ruin their chances of acquiring certificates of good conduct.
The PS told security officers to undertake thorough investigations to ensure students who burnt school property were tracked down and arrested.
“Security agencies should be on the lookout so that any arson suspects in school do not go scot free. We must get hold of these criminals,” Jwan said.
He told parents to focus on moulding the behaviour of their children to ensure they grow up as responsible citizens.
The PS argued that well-behaved children could hardly think of burning a school. He also warned head teachers that they would also be held responsible if their schools were burnt.
“School heads should have conversations with their students and address the issues before they culminate in burning a school,” he told Principals.
By Davis Langat
