Regulate school uniform prices, government told

Gilgil Mp Martha Wangari (L) distributes sanitary towels to students from the constituency as part of the ongoing ‘Keeping girls in school’ programme by the government. She called on a law to regulate the prices of school uniforms to stop schools from fleecing parents. [Photo: Antony Gitonga]

 

Gilgil Mp Martha Wangari has called on the government to regulate the price of school uniforms with some schools fleecing parents by inflating the cost.

In the wake of on-going debate on school uniforms, the Mp noted that there was a deeper problem in schools with parents crying foul on the prices.

In the last couple of weeks, the country has been split on calls to have similar school uniforms for all students in both primary and secondary schools.

While opposing the move Wangari noted that education sector had deeper problems like lack of learning materials and classrooms which should be given first priority.

“Let all school have their individual uniforms which they will be identified with and we should instead focus on regulating the prices for school uniforms,” she said.

Wangari was speaking in Gilgil Girls secondary school when she launched the sanitary towels programme popularly known as ‘Keeping girls in school.’

She said that over 11,000 students in both primary and secondary schools in th3 constituency would benefit from the government sponsored programme.

“My biggest worry is the rising cases of pregnancy among school going girls in Oljorai and Kasarani areas where tens of students have dropped from class,” she said.

On the on-going unrest in secondary schools, the Mp welcomed the arrests noting that any student caught burning school property should be treated as a criminal.

“We are worried by the on-going unrest by students in parts of the country and those arrested should not be spared but should be treated as criminals,” she said.

On his part, Gilgil deputy county Commissioner Ndambuki Mutheki praised students in the constituency for observing discipline in the wake of the unrest.

Ndambuki said security and education officials were on high alert adding that that any student involved in criminal activities would not be spared.

“Am happy that we have not recorded any arson incident in Gilgil and we praise the teachers and students for maintaining high levels of discipline,” he said.

Area sub-county education officer Eric Obiri warned the students that any criminal activities in their respective schools would be captured in their certificate of good conduct.

On the sanitary towels programme, Obiri said that primary students in class 6-8 and all those in secondary schools would benefit this financial year.

“We are asking our students to focus their energy on education and ignore the arson cases which have been recorded in various parts of the country,” she said.