Desperate parents whose children were schooling in private schools in Kiambu County have embarked on a mission seek for admission of their children in public schools.
The parents told KNA that they had braved the early morning chill since last monday for placement in lower primary classes so that their contiunitty was not disrupted after most of the private schools their children were schooling wound up.
Mary Wanjiku speaking to KNA at Kiu Primary School said she intended to get admission for her child in PP2. The private school where my children used to go to school in the Mugumo area closed down for unknown reasons and the children should be left behind when schools resume.
Margaret Wangare speaking at the same school said she was looking for an opportunity to get admission for her son in PPI since his former private school too had closed shop after the children stayed home for a long period of time.
John Kago told KNA at Kiambu Township Primary school that he had been told that the teachers were in a meeting and could therefore not attend to him. He revealed that the school where his children in grade 3 and 5 were schooling had also wound up and the owner converted the buildings into rental houses.
“When this disease continued to ravage the entire country forcing children to remain indoors, the landlords to some schools got impatient and could not continue waiting any more.”he said
At Mahiga Primary School, the more than 5 parents who had been patient since 8.00 am were disappointed at 11:00 when the head teacher Mr. Apollo Ochieng Okoth told them that schools had not re-opened.
He further explained to them that owing to the new norm of social distancing where only 20 children will be accommodated in one class, the school will have to settle their own pupils first prior to thinking of enrolling any new ones.
Mr. Ochieng said the government had only instructed teachers to report but had not given any directives on the re-opening of the schools to the pupils and that they schooled therefore return home and wait for the next process towards the phase re-opening in conformity with guidelines developed by the inter faith council.
The parents appeared desparate and said they regretted why they had in the first place enrolled their children in small academies whose future was unknown.
“ Now where will we take these children if most of the public schools are now planning for their own first before thinking of newcomers “ posed MaryAnn Waithaka at Kiuu Primary School. The school has 813 pupils with only 3 streams of 60 – 70 pupils in a class.
At Kiu Primary school, the deputy headteacher Ms Beth Kariuki said the upper primary classes had a population of 70 pupils but the lower classes were less congested. “but the lower classes were less congested. “ We however cannot promise any parent that we will admit their children who have been going to other schools here unless we are directed by the government.
In his speech, the president however did not order the re-opening of the schools, though the parents appeared disturbed.
By Lydia Shiloya
