The current madness in schools is a big tragedy in the Education system and future of young people in Kenya. In a span of a month, more than 100 schools dormitories have been razed down, something that has brought dozens of questions with no prophetic answers.
Late last year, the Education sector was marred by exam cheatings and once again the integrity and honesty of academic was tested. The then Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Education Prof. Jacob Kaimenyi was blamed and found himself in the spotlight after a buzz of leaked papers hovered from one social media to the other.
With the current CS, Dr. Fred Matiang’i things have been different. He took up the ministry with a storm that left many people mouth agape and teachers, Principals and School managements as worried lots. His impromptu visits to schools and queries of audits on Free Primary Education (FPE) brought confusion to the already confused money eaters in the education sector.
It has now emerged that there are cartels operating in the Education sector that have been involved right from Exam irregularities to misappropriation of FPE funds. The ministry has come up with measures to curb the exam irregularities while canceling the sent exam already set.
Though many questions beg for serious answers, involvement of students and teachers as well as politicians and opportunists cannot be wished away in the miasma. The loopholes of the cartels in exam cheating and serious audit on FPE funds alongside the fear of exams by some students are the deadly causes of the dorms teared down.
Quick solutions must be arrived at as soon as possible. The issue is now complex and the best method to use is the Structured Democratic Dialogue Process which must be done in different sectors and different levels. While the process works well in a group of not more than 20, the participants should be selected carefully and take about a week to find the causes of the issues and actions.
The government and education stakeholders need to invest in this program and carry it across the country to find the details of the misfortunes that teachers and students are going through. The process will also find the possible actions that can redeem the situation and sustain it for some time.
It is an expensive mode though but I believe it is very important. As we continue to interrogate what has gone nuts, it is good for the society, students, teachers and anyone with good heart for development to think about the future of the country
As for the young people; it more wise to be honest with your papers. It is even a blessing to trust your minds and IQ and better fail while trying than pass while cheating. There are places in life that you will never cheat and that is when your brilliant brilliance will be exposed and failure wrapping you up.
You must refuse to be used by those who earn a living through questionable means. These crops of individuals are opportunists and are there to destroy the better future you are building.
The writer is a graduate of the Structured Democratic Dialogue Process at the Future Worlds Center and Social Transformation Program Ambassador.
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