Thika Town MP Alice Ng’ang’a has called on the Ministry of Education to consider extension of the schools opening date on account of the prevailing rainy weather.
Ms Nganga said next week’s opening date for the second term comes too soon given the heavy rains and floods being witnessed in several parts of the country.
Speaking while presiding over the issuance of Sh45 million worth of bursary to about 10,000 secondary school learners from her constituency yesterday, the MP said reopening of schools may put to risk the lives of learners traveling back to their schools.
Ms Ng’ang’a who was accompanied by Kikuyu MP and National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah asked the government to push the reopening date by at least one more week.
She added that next week’s reopening was not well thought out given due to Labour Day celebrations on Wednesday which might inconvenience learners
“We would rather delay the reopening date than risk losing our children as a result of the ongoing flooding all over the country. Again, why schools would reopen on Monday yet on Wednesday is a national holiday. The Ministry of Education should consider pushing the date to the other week,” said the lawmaker.
This comes as the Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang maintained yesterday that schools will reopen next week.
He said a multi-agency team set up by President William Ruto will be able to deal with the challenges that have come with the rains to enable a smooth learning process.
Parents from Thika too have called on the government to push the reopening date until the rains subside.
Led by Martin Njoroge, they said children in most rural areas cross rivers and streams on their way to school adding that most of them have since burst banks and might be dangerous in this weather.
He added that other schools especially in flat areas are flooded, making reopening unrealistic.
The parents said they will not release their children to go to school next week unless the rains subside.
“If the rains continue and the rivers continue to swell, my children will continue staying at home. I can’t risk the lives of my children to this weather,” said Pauline Njeri, another Thika resident.
By Muoki Charles
