Kuppet takes the blame and ends the strike with the same deal it turned down.
After a week of strikes that stopped learning all over the country, parents now have the huge job of getting their kids back into school.
To make up for the lost time, schools will also have to add extra time, especially for students who are going to take national exams.
For parents, though, the most important thing is how they will get their kids back to school.
The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) went on strike, which caused some problems. In some cases, kids were sent home.
Silas Obuhatsa, head of the National Parents Association, spoke for many parents when he said that the extra costs will make already tight budgets even worse.
“In this war, parents are stuck between a rock and a hard place.” Parents had to send transportation to schools again to make it easier for students to get home after the August break last week, even though it had been hard to get their kids back to school.
“Given how bad the economy is right now, where will they get that return ticket to the institutions?”
Obuhatsa didn’t like how schools made it hard for students to get back in by making them pay all of their school fees before they can come back.
“Heads of schools have asked parents to make sure that they pay the school fees before sending their kids back to school.” In a day, where will they get it?” Then he asked.
Obuhatsa is against the schools’ plan to add more classes to make up for lost time, saying that this will put too much pressure on students.
“If schools go for extra coaching, it will make it easier for illegal fees that the government has banned to come in.” Besides that, students should have time to rest. “Day scholars will be hurt by teachers who come in early or stay late,” he said.
The fallout of a teachers’ strike has overshadowed what was supposed to be the start of a very important school period. Schools and parents have had to deal with the most trouble because of the strike.
The strike has had and is still having affects on families and communities. As the days go by, the stress on kids, parents, and teachers grows, and there doesn’t seem to be a way out.
The strike, which was set up by KUPPET, finished on Monday after going on for two weeks.
Parents have complained that they feel frustrated because they have to pay for the costs that came up because of the teachers’ strike.
Nancy Ndung’u, a parent whose child is in form three, said that the strike was more than just a hassle; it had also cost parents a lot of money and caused them a lot of stress.
She said, “I’ve spent all my money, and having to stay with my son for extra days is a slap in the face.” This is typical of many parents who think that their kids are better and more disciplined at school.
“Teenagers at home are under a lot of pressure from their friends.” Because they are in school, we as parents believe that the teachers can correct them, she said.
Didmus Wanyonyi, the father of a Form Three student, talked about his worries:
“Since they started senior secondary school, our kids have been through a lot.” “Now that they are candidates, they should finish the course material and study for their tests,” Wanyonyi said.
Things are even worse for parents whose kids go to schools that have been touched by the unrest.
John Ochola, a dad from Central Kenya, told me the bad news: parents have been told to pay for the damage their kids cause.
“We just got word that the students should come back to school with their parents.” We need to add Sh4,000 to account for the damage the students did before they were sent home.
Some schools have chosen to separate candidates from their peers who may have been involved in the unrest by making them day scholars. This is meant to stop more problems from happening.
Also, schools are starting a new season and having to make up time they lost when they return.
Willy Kuria, head of the Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (Kessha), said that the strike has shortened the third term from two months to just seven and a half weeks.
It’s not fair to say that not much time has been lost, since this is a very short term and test period. “But principals will have to rearrange their schedules to make time to make up the lessons that were missed,” Kuria said.
It’s especially upsetting for people who are getting ready to take their Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education national tests.
Kuria said that schools that had stopped classes should call back students right away to avoid wasting more time.
“Those who reported arson should first call the candidates while they’re figuring out how much damage was done.” “So other people should just call them back,” he said.
Benson Manoo, the headmaster of Machakos School, said:
“Although we sent the students home on Monday this week, we are having a staff meeting to work on a way we can recall them immediately to avoid them wasting a lot of time away.”
In the past, the Ministry of Education has taken a strong attitude, blocking mid-year transfers of students and saying that students involved in arson will not be allowed to return to school.
Parents are now directly responsible for paying to fix up schools that were destroyed during the strikes. This is similar to a policy that was first put in place by President Mwai Kibaki.
Kuria said that schools that were damaged by fire or other acts of violence would not use school funds to pay for the repairs, so parents would have to pay.
“The schools are having a hard time paying for their daily costs.” “Where are the principals going to get the money to fix up the damage the students made?” Kuria asked.
Private schools, on the other hand, have kept to their normal schedules while public school kids stayed home.
Charles Ochome, who is in charge of the Kenya Private Schools Association, pointed out the big difference:
“It’s been normal to teach and learn in our schools.” Things aren’t the same here, and teachers don’t go on strike like they do in the public sector. “We don’t work for just one company,” Ochome said.
Kuppet takes the blame and ends the strike with the same deal it turned down.
