Ensure thorough probe done on schools’ unrest in Kenya

Schools opened for the third term yesterday. Under the new directive by the Cabinet Secretary for education Dr Fred Matiangi, and which courted controversy, third term is scheduled to last only nine weeks to pave way for national examinations for the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education pupils and the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education candidates.

But as expected, many schools are facing challenges posed by the sporadic burning of dormitories towards the end of last term. In view of the fact that funds are yet to be made available for building new dormitories, some classrooms will have to be turned in dormitories.

Needless to say, turning classrooms into dormitories in the evening is not only inconvenient, it will consume a lot of study time. Hopefully, the experience will serve as a lesson to students who participated in burning their dormitories oblivious of the long term negative effects.

Among reasons advanced for the arson last term was the fear of exams, yet that is a reality no student can run away from. Exams mark the culmination of a long learning process at various stages of schooling and should never cause apprehension as has been the case in the recent past.

In this regard, not even higher learning institutions like universities have been spared student riots. Many university students spend more time on activities unrelated to learning only to disrupt schedules to buy themselves more time.

The need to conclusively address underlying cause of unrest in school cannot be over emphasized, for failure to do so amounts to postponing a problem that needs solving now. Various task forces appointed to carry out investigations on school unrest must do thorough work, probe every crook and cranny and produce a comprehensive report upon which decisive action can be taken to remedy the situation.