Close schools a week earlier, says Sossion

KNUT secretary general Wilson Sossion (left) with his chairman Mudzo Ndzili  [PHOTO BY GIDEON MAUNDU/STANDARD].

The giant teachers union will ask its members to ground operations in public schools if they are not closed a week earlier to calm tensions in learning institutions.

Kenya National Union of Teachers’ (KNUT) secretary general Wilson Sossion said Education CS Fred Matiang’i must make a quick decision to close schools early because students are fatigued and explained that the fires in schools indicated that learners were stressed.

“If he doesn’t close schools we will ask our members to close schools to save the institutions. Three weeks are enough to allow the ministry organise itself and for students to come back fresh,” said Sossion.

“These children must be given a break if we are to save schools. There is a lot of tension and it is wrong to continue keeping them in schools much longer,” said Sossion.

The Ministry of Education had extended the second term and directed that schools should close on August 12.

However, the KNUT secretary general has said this position must be revised. “Let schools close by August 5 to allow children three weeks to calm down and relieve stress. When they come back we shall have a peaceful third term,” said Sossion.

However, yesterday Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang said the term dates would not be revised again and reiterated that new guidelines had already been sent to schools. This reinforces the position Matiang’i took when he appeared before the Senate Education Committee and disassociated the arson attacks with the school closing dates.

Matiang’i told the committee that the first arson case was reported in January even before term dates were reviewed. “About this time last year, 98 schools had burnt when changes in term dates had not happened. It is not true and I think it is basically an excuse that is being peddled around, a lame excuse from some of our teachers and union leaders,” Matiang’i told the Senate.

He said the changes to term dates were almost insignificant. “We basically introduced a new range of the school term and said the school term can go ahead by a week up to August 12,” said Matiang’i.

Committee chairman Daniel Karaba had asked Matiang’i to explain why schools continue to burn.

“We have seen more schools continue to burn and they seem to spread to Central Province and Eastern and North Eastern and that is our fears. Is it true that some of the pronouncements you made on term dates are being resisted by boys and girls?

The ministry reviewed term dates through a circular dated May 18. It indicated that all schools would close on August 12 for second term.

Third term is scheduled to start August 29 with all schools expected to close in October 29.

These translated to 15 learning weeks for second term and a shortened session of nine weeks for third term. It, however, means that learners will have two weeks rest during second term.

Matiang’i explained that there were no complaints against the term dates and explained that due consultation was done. “No one raised an issue. We had a meeting with KNUT, KUPPET, secondary school heads and primary school heads. I even called a focus group of head teachers across the country. We made a proposal on the new term dates and rearrangement of terms,” he said.

The CS further explained that even after meeting the stakeholders, they were asked to go and consult their members.

“They came back two weeks later and we had a press conference together. The recommendations of term dates are not new they are in the Wangai report, another done by examinations council and in secondary school heads reports. I was basically implementing recommendations of various institutions,” he said.

But speaking yesterday, Sossion maintained term dates are to blame for students ‘burn out.’

“It is term dates and I will repeat this for umpteenth time. And I am speaking as a teacher. These students have burnt out and they want adequate rest,” said Sossion.

He said the eight-member team constituted by the CS was not independent and may not produce an independent report.

KUPPET Secretary General Akello Misori also differed with Sossion and called for sanity in the ongoing debate. “It is simplistic to ask schools to close because of criminal behaviour affecting some schools,” he said.